The Things You Did For Me
by nobodysside
Summary: AU where Alex and Norma grow up next door to one another.
1. Chapter 1

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 1: THINGS YOU'VE TAKEN

Of all the people in their small little town, it had to be her. The signs were there. Alex had known for quite some time. But he kept avoiding it—denying it every second the thought came up. She was his best friend. He couldn't tell her how he truly felt. It would ruin their friendship. And he needed her. She was his only stability. He couldn't lose that. To him, it wasn't worth the risk. They only had each other. Both their father's were abusive, their mother's checked out. Alex didn't have any siblings. Norma did, but it was as if she didn't. At least that's what she taught herself to believe. Alex was the only person she needed him in order to survive. And she occupied his loneliness. She was his source of happiness. She was his world.

He had just turned eighteen, and his life was already a mess. And it had been for a while now. He tried to close his eyes and fall back asleep, but the thought of her clouded him. He couldn't focus on anything else. It was always only her circling his thoughts, wrapped around his brain, squeezing tight until he burst. He had fallen in love with her a while back. He'd never admit it though. It was the one thing they could never talk about. It was Alex's greatest fear—her knowing truth. He stood before her unbreakable, but she was his weakness. He cringed at the sound of her faint knock at his bedroom window. This was something she did regularly. She's lived next door to him since they were kids. Every now and then he'd find her in his room, hiding from her life. He was her sanctuary. He was the one place she was safe. He turned his back to the window, desperately trying to ignore her presence. But his heart couldn't handle it. She won—she always won. He got up with a sigh and quietly slid the window open, helping her climb inside the room.

She pushed a few hairs behind her ears before finally looking at him. Her eyes dropped to his bare chest. "Sorry," he muttered, grabbing a shirt from the growing heap he left carelessly on the floor. He hadn't expected any visitors, but he should have known better by now. He pulled the shirt over his head and turned around to face her, his heart clenching at the sight of her bruised face in the moonlight. The pain of it all began to seep in, drowning them both in a wild sea of blue. There wasn't anything he could do. He didn't dare bring it up. She never liked to talk about it. Who would? She came to him for comfort not a therapy session. "I heard about you and John Massett," he stated, walking back towards his bed. He secretly didn't like John—and it wasn't because he knew how Norma felt about him. It was because Alex _knew_ people. He could read them from a mile away. And John Massett was bad news.

Norma smiled innocently and walked over to the bed to climb in on the other side. John made her feel special. That was something she longed for. She was a quiet girl who didn't have many friends. She didn't have any friends actually. Just Alex. He had always been there for her. Their friendship meant everything to her. He was the only person she could rely on. He was the only person who didn't treat her like shit…except John, of course. The smile never left her face as she ducked under the covers. She tickled Alex's side, making him laugh softly. She climbed back out to meet his eyes. They warmed her. They were her sense of security—her way home. She smiled at him again, this time causing him to smile back. "Who told you?"

He chuckled softly, allowing his eyes to drift back up to the ceiling. It was a constant reminder of where he was—trapped in the confines of his father's home. He got lucky when the Calhoun's moved next door. He met Norma. She was his means for a happier life. He owed everything to her. He turned slightly to view her face. He thought she was beautiful, though he'd never tell her that. She was his only real friend—he couldn't lose her. "Big news travels fast in a small town."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Big news?"

He smiled teasingly. "Little Norma Louise has a boyfriend." He huffed as she punched his side then turned to face her. He stared at her for a moment, the amusement still potent in her eyes. "Martha Anderson told me," he admitted, his eyes softly stroking the delicate lines of her face.

She rolled her eyes, but still maintained the same feverous smile. He watched her for a while. She let him. She let him discover every blackened bruise surfacing on her skin. It was the only way to keep him from asking. He never asked. He never had to. The evidence of her father's doings was painted ever so hideously across her face. Yet Alex found her beautiful. She never questioned why. Her gaze dropped to his after the long period of silence. She stared at him sadly. "I was gonna tell you myself."

She didn't owe him that. She didn't owe him anything. He loved her more than life itself. She'd never have to prove herself to him. She already had him won over. She secretly had everyone won over. There was something about her no one could deny. She was beautiful in every way. But she belonged to someone now. And it wasn't Alex. She would never belong to him. He didn't deserve her. No one deserved her. She was too good for the world. Everyone knew that, especially Alex. He was her protector—that was his job. He leaned in and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I know."


	2. Chapter 2

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 2: ALL THE WORLD MISJUDGED YOU

By the time Alex woke up she was gone. This was what she did. He often times woke up wondering if she ever was there. She always seemed to be like a dream passing through the night—light and effervescent, never truly in touch reality. But he knew how her family was, and he knew the consequences for sneaking out—or, rather, back in. He had to let her go.

He got up from the bed and moved down the hall, peering into his mother's room. She sat at her vanity staring at her battered reflection in the mirror. His heart ached at the sight of her swollen cheeks. She whipped around at the sound of the door creaking open, her hand of her heart to stop the beating. "It's just me," he told her. She smiled lightly at him. She was a pretender. It was her way of coping with the reality of her daily life. So he played along, smiling back.

She studied him carefully. She always did, otherwise he'd never let her in. She knew that. "You look exhausted." He shrugged at her. She ignored his nonchalance and turned back to the vanity to cover her blemishes. "Norma come over last night?" He refused to answer her. She glanced up at his emotionless reflection in the mirror. "I heard you talking."

He gazed back at her, unamused. "Sorry." He slumped down on the edge of the bed. He knew she didn't care about what he did with his friends…just as long as they were safe. And Norma was safer with him than anywhere else.

His mother went back to her makeup, blotting away the evidence of her husband's temper. Alex watched her. His expression aloof, disguising the hurricane of emotions storming through him. There wasn't anything he could do for her. He was just a boy. His mother shrugged, getting up to move over to her closet. "She's a nice girl."

"Yeah." It was best to stick to one word answers when it came to the subject of Norma. His mother didn't know the horrors of the Calhoun residence, though it was difficult not to. But she was too busy dealing with her own mess to notice anyone else's.

She reached into her closet and grabbed her yellow dress. "You ever think about—"

"Mom." He glared at her. He didn't want to talk about Norma with her. He didn't want to talk about Norma with anyone. The thought of him having actual feelings embarrassed him. And he hated when he didn't have the upper hand.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Alex." They glared at each other for a while before she cracked a smile and set the dress on the bed beside him.

He gazed at her softly. He loved his mother more than anyone. She was his best friend. There were no secrets between them. "Why do you let him do that to you?" He knew it was a touchy subject for her, but he wanted to help her—to save her. "Why don't we just leave?"

She sighed deeply, gazing down at him. "It's not that simple, Alex." He could see the anger and fear welling up in her eyes, so he stayed silent. But his silence only angered her more. She was a loose canon. She shook her head angrily and stormed over to the door to gesture him to leave. "I don't want to talk about this with you. Go get ready for school."

He didn't look at her as he left the room. Looking at her would send him spiraling down with her. He couldn't have that. He went back to his room and got ready as she told him to. The thought of her always clouded him. It was always just her and Norma on his mind. They were the ones that needed saving.

He stepped out on his porch to find Norma waiting on the step for him. He always drove her to school. It was easier that way. He smiled at her as she gazed up at him. He could see a faint shade of blue underneath her makeup, yet she still was as beautiful as ever. "Hey," he mumbled.

She smiled shyly. She was glad she had Alex. He was a nice escape. He offered her a place where she wasn't forced to be anything but herself. She loved that about him. "I grabbed you a waffle."

He disregarded her gesture and made his way over to the car. He hated that she did things like this for him. It only made him love her more. "You know I don't eat breakfast."

She glared at him sadly and followed after him. "Fine. Whatever." He was always this way when she tried to do nice things for him. He never was willing to accept her kindness.

He turned around to face her. "Norma." He hated being the reason she was upset. He hated seeing her upset period. Her sadness would slowly become his only thought until he fixed it for her.

But she was Norma. She was as difficult as ever. "No. Let's just go to school."

He glared at her as she moved past him. She wasn't giving up. He knew that. He sighed and climbed into the car as she did. "Give me the damn waffle," he muttered, glancing over at her.

She smiled in victory and handed him the waffle. She felt it was her job to take care of him since he obviously wasn't going to take care of himself. "You really should eat breakfast. You wouldn't be so exhausted." She sent him a motherly glare.

He furrowed his brow, gently easing out of his driveway. "And whose fault is that?"

She scoffed, watching as the trees whipped past them. "Oh don't even. You were snoring so loud I couldn't even hear myself think."

He shot her a stern glare. "I don't snore." He could feel her eyes roll even though he wasn't looking at her. "I hate you, you know that?"

She laughed lightly, returning her gaze out the window. "You love me." It was sad truth.

They pulled into the parking lot at school and made their way up to the building. Alex cringed as John approached them. But Norma smiled giddily, wrapping her arms around him. He pecked at her cheek, sending an ill feeling to Alex's stomach. "I'm gonna head to class," Alex stated though they weren't listening. He rolled his eyes as he left. He hated John Massett.

But Norma liked him. The smile never left her face as he walked her to class, giving her a gentle kiss before he left. She tried not to notice the others' whispers and stares. She knew it was something that came with dating a popular kid. John was on the football team. He was friends with the other players as well as the cheerleaders. How Norma ended up with him? No one knew. Not even Norma herself. She felt a little self-conscious being with him. Everyone was constantly watching her—judging her every move. She could barely breathe. But she didn't want to let John go…not for anything.

By the time lunch had come around, John had found his way to her side again. It seemed as though everyone in the room was watching them. It was the first time she'd ever been noticed by her classmates. After grabbing her lunch, Norma headed over to her usual table where Alex sat. But John quickly grabbed her by the arm. "What are you doing?"

She stared at him in confusion. "I'm going to sit down."

He gave her a look and pulled her in the opposite direction. "Our table is over here."

She began to worry but followed after him obediently, glancing back at Alex as she went. The table they sat at was filled with John's friends who glared at her as she sat down. She tried to hide her disappointment, but Norma was naïve. She hadn't learned yet. "Is something wrong?" John whispered to her.

She looked at him and nodded, then glanced back at the ever stoic Alex eating his lunch by himself. "It's just that I usually eat with Alex."

Her boyfriend glanced back at him then smiled at her, gently rubbing her back. "We can sit there tomorrow. I promise." She smiled appreciatively and ate her lunch in silence.

Alex waited in the car for her after school. She was taking longer than usual, and he was already mad at her for ditching him at lunch. He sighed as he saw her in his rearview mirror, her arms wrapped around John. He waited as the couple kissed each other goodbye, desperately wanting just to drive off without Norma. But he waited for her to get in and glared at her after John had left.

"I'm sorry," she told him guilty. She would never hurt Alex. She owed her life to him. She needed him.

He didn't say anything the whole ride home. He didn't even utter a goodbye as he made his way to his front door. He'd never felt so lonely in his life. It was in that moment that he realized how much he needed her. That's the real reason he was mad.

Later that evening when he was outside raking the leaves, he heard a mangled cry coming from her bedroom window. He wasn't quite sure what was happening to her until the sound grew clearer. The pain in his heart ripped through him, gnawing at what was left of him. He wanted to climb through the window and save her, but it was too late. She was already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 3: STILL BREATHING

He didn't sleep very well that night…he didn't sleep at all actually. The thought of what he had heard haunted him. It ruined him. The next morning he got ready for school and headed out the door in search for Norma. She wasn't sitting on his front porch as she usually was. He thought she might be running late so he waited in the car for her, but she never showed up. As the time for school neared, his anxiety overtook him. He knew he couldn't go knocking on her front door. It wasn't like her parents even cared whether or not she was safe. Alex glared at the exterior of her house as he pulled out of his driveway. That house was her prison, and she was serving a life-long sentence.

He searched through the trees and alleys as he passed through town on his way to school. He wasn't so afraid of what had happened to her…he was more afraid of what she'd do to herself afterwards. At a red light, he turned and gazed at the old movie theatre marquee…"Strangers on a Train". It was Norma's favorite movie. They had seen it about a hundred times. As the light turned green, Alex pulled into a spot down the street and walked up to the box office, buying a ticket for the movie. He typically wasn't one to skip school, but he wasn't sure if he could face John alone.

As he climbed the steps to the back of the theater, he spotted a familiar face illuminated from the light of the flashing screen. She peered at him with glassy blue eyes as he approached her. "How'd you know I'd be here?"

He smiled softly, taking the seat next to her. "I didn't." He kept his eyes trained on the screen. For as much as he wanted to be mad at her for ditching him yesterday, he couldn't ever stay mad at her. She was his source for happiness. He needed her. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I overreacted."

She shook her head lightly. "Alex—"

"No, Norma, I did." He gazed at her, watching as the colors changed shape on her face. "I'm glad that you've found someone else. It's good for you—John's good for you."

She stared at him with mild disbelief before allowing her head to fall to his shoulder. They didn't say a word after that. They didn't have to. The movie started and ended within a couple of hours. They walked about the town until it was time to go home. Alex never said a word about what he had heard. He never would. He walked Norma to her doorstep and cringed as she stepped inside the house that killed her. He knew he couldn't save her. No one could.

As he made his way to his doorstep, he heard a couple of loud screams. It blew over him like an light breeze. It wasn't anything new to him. He learned to ignore the broken parts of his parents' marriage. He sat on the foot on his porch and waited for the screams to cease. He hated that he had lost all will to fight his father. He hated that he had no motivation to save his mother. There wasn't anything he could do. He was powerless.

Norma entered her house to find her mother passed out on couch, a bottle of vodka fallen from her limp hand, as usual. Her father wasn't home yet but he would be soon. It didn't matter anyway, because tonight she had plans with John. She went into her room to get changed and flipped on her curling iron. She smiled at herself in the mirror. She felt like the prettiest girl in the world. She moved over to her radio and let it play faintly in the background as she began to curl her hair.

The sudden opening of her door caused her to jump. Her heart sank when she saw who it was. She hated him with every fiber of her being. There wasn't anything he could do to change that. She glared at him as he shut the door behind him. He could never look her in the eye. He stood behind her and ran his hands down her shoulders. She could feel the tears begin to well in her eyes. He had committed the ultimate betrayal. She loved him more than anyone and he betrayed her. She couldn't trust anyone because of him. She only ever had Alex. She wished she had Alex now, but she knew Alex didn't stand a chance against Caleb. No one did. Her body shook as he entered new territory. "Caleb, please," she whimpered, her voice barely audible even beneath the faint music.

He ignored her request as usual and continued on his original journey. This was what death felt like to Norma. She lost a part of herself each time. She didn't know who she was anymore. She jumped at the sound of the front door slamming shut, the hot iron striking her bare leg. She screamed out in agony, tears streaming down her face. She peered at her father's face in the doorway.

"What the hell is going on in here?"

She could feel her heart breaking with each breath she took. "Nothing," she muttered softly, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

He glared at her in annoyance. "Good." He turned and left the doorway, Caleb following after him. She was just an inconvenience to him. She was inconvenience to everyone…everyone but Alex.

After a moment of silence, Alex's father came out and pushed his way out to his car, getting in and speeding off. Alex stood up and went inside the house. He picked up the overturned lamp and made his way down the hall towards the light shining from the bathroom. He could hear the cap pop off of a pill bottle along with the rustle of pills and a rush of water from the sink. He saw his mother's reflection in the mirror. She had been beaten black and blue, so much to the point that her face was barely recognizable. Alex swallowed hard, the sight of her ripping at every vein in his body. "What?" she grumbled. He stood speechless, his eyes trained on her reflection. She rolled her eyes and slammed the door.

"I'm sorry," he muttered though he knew she couldn't hear him. "I'm sorry."


	4. Chapter 4

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 4: BUILDING UP MY WALLS

Alex woke up to a quiet empty house. His father had left for work and his mother was nowhere to be found. The recent descent of his mother's mental state terrified him. She wasn't the same anymore. There wasn't anything he could do to stop her from falling. She was already too far-gone.

He got up from the bed with a sigh and shuffled down the hall to the bathroom. He grimaced at his tired reflection in the mirror. He'd never understand how he let things get this far. His world was falling apart. He couldn't change it. He cleaned up the pills that had spilled into the sink and placed them back in the medicine cabinet. He contemplated throwing them out, but he knew he couldn't. The pills were her only escape. He couldn't do that to her.

He splashed some water on his face in a desperate attempt to drown his feelings, but nothing could wash away the fear. He was losing her. He could never get her back. After finishing up in the bathroom, he went into his room and got dressed, glancing out the window to see if Norma was waiting for him.

He found her leaning against the door of his car, her eyes swollen from a long night of sobbing. "Hey," he muttered as he approached the driver's side. He didn't bother to ask if she was all right; he knew she wouldn't want to talk about it anyway.

They sat in silence on the way to school. They both had their own problems to mull over, and neither one of them was willing to share it with the other. They wouldn't even look at each other. Their thoughts had consumed them. There was no way to break out it.

John was waiting for them when they approached the front of the building. The anger on his face was visible from a mile away. It terrified Norma. She was helpless. "Where were you last night?" he growled.

Norma stopped dead before him. She was struggling to pick up the pieces of her broken life. This guy would only tear her down further. It was becoming more apparent each day, but Norma chose to ignore anyway. "I'm sorry," she stuttered weakly…breathlessly.

"Who the hell do you think you are? You made me look like a fool waiting for you all night." John could ruin her if he wanted to. Everyone outside was watching them. Norma was always only a form of entertainment to the people around her. She was nothing to them.

"I'm sorry," she repeated, now on the verge of tears. She didn't want to think about last night. The sting from the burn would never leave her. She was scarred for life. She thought she was hideous. She felt hideous.

But John still continued to push her. She was barely hanging on. "Sorry doesn't cut it, Norma. You humiliated me in front of the whole school. Everybody knows that you stood me up last night. You could have at least called. You're such an inconsiderate little bitch."

"Hey." Alex stepped between them. He was feeling oddly brave for once. "Don't talk to her like that." He was gaining a newfound confidence, though deep down he knew he was going to get his ass kicked.

"This doesn't concern you, Alex," her voice was almost whisper from behind him. She was still broken, but a part of her was still strong enough to protect him—even if he was too blind to see it that way.

Alex stared at her blankly. The one time he felt strong enough to defend her she didn't care. She couldn't even look him in the eye. That was how much control John had over her. She was defenseless…yet she somehow seemed brave. Alex could feel the sadness radiating off of her. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he feared a public rejection. He still couldn't fight the feeling that he needed to protect her. "Norma—"

She nearly glared at him. "Alex, just go." He wasn't helping anything. He almost always made things worse for her. He didn't know how to act around other people. She knew that.

Alex sent her one last look before pushing past John and entering the building. Norma was always weak when it came to John. He knew that. But a part of him wanted to defy her just to defend her…but she'd hate him for it. He knew she hated feeling weak, and feeling weak by Alex was worse than feeling weak by John.

She took a step forward and placed a hand on his arm to soothe him. "John, I really am sorry. I got caught up and couldn't get out. I didn't mean to hurt you. I promise." She always went crawling back to him. He was the only guy that ever paid attention to her…besides Alex.

John took her hand and lead inside the school. "All right, but you're going to have to make it up to me." There was always an ultimatum.

By the time lunch came, Alex sat down at their usual table. He was getting used to the idea of being alone. He had to find a way to survive without Norma. He needed to find someone else. The sight of her and John killed him. Not only was he losing his mom, but his was losing his best friend too. He cringed at the sight of her clinging to him. He had convinced himself that the reason he hated the sight of them was because of the way John treated her…but deep down he knew there was something else.

"I'm sorry about your girlfriend," a voice came from behind Alex.

Alex rolled his eyes as Bob took the seat next to him. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Well not anymore," Bob laughed.

He hated Bob Paris. He was always messing with Alex. It was his job to torture Alex. "What do you want, Bob?" He would much rather sit alone than with him. They grew up down the street from each other. Bob was always getting him into trouble. It was what he lived for.

"I just came to check on you," he smiled smugly. "I figured you must be lonely now that you're girlfriend's been spending so much time with John Massett. Guess she doesn't need you anymore, does she?"

Alex glared at him. "You're a piece of shit, you know that Bob?"

Bob chuckled, getting up from the table. "You're real tough guy, Alex." He slapped him on the back and shook him a little. "I still love you though."

Alex watched as he left then turned his attention back to Norma. Their eyes met from across the room, but she quickly drew her gaze back to John, following obediently to his table of friends. He had already lost her.


	5. Chapter 5

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 5: SAYING GOODBYE

She didn't ride home with Alex that day; she left with John. Alex grimaced watching her climb into his car and speed off. John would be the death of her…if only she could see that.

Alex returned home to find his mother half passed out, an empty bottle of vodka in her lap. He tried to head to his room unnoticed, but the sudden movement caught her attention. She gazed at him hazily, staggering to her feet. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" she snarled. He tried to ignore her and continue on his way to his bedroom, but she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him backwards. "I asked you a question."

The smell of her misery consumed him, causing a pain to form in his gut. He kept his eyes trained on the floor. It was the only thing he could do to keep him from crashing down with her. She grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to face her. "Look at me when I'm talking to you." He swallowed hard, fighting the clenching tension rising in his throat. She was delirious. She could barely speak properly. This was what his father did to her. He pushed her over the edge, and she was barely hanging on. She was slipping…falling. No one could save her.

He could feel his heart breaking the second he looked into her eyes. There was a sadness about her that couldn't be changed. She was broken. It was too late for her. He reached for her, but she pulled away…a look of disgust grazing her face. "I hate you," she told him. He could have said the same to her. But a part of him was still holding on with her. He couldn't let go. He'd never let go.

She sent him one last glare and left for her room, the empty bottle of vodka in her hand. The sound of the door slamming echoed through him. She was lost…there was no one looking for her. Alex stood for a while peering at the door. It was the barrier between them. He couldn't break it down. He wasn't strong enough. So he left.

It was late at night when John and Norma finally arrived at their destination. Norma glanced out the window in confusion. It was an empty parking lot. She'd never been alone with John; there was always someone else around. It wasn't that she was afraid to be alone with him…she just had a bad feeling stirring inside her. She could feel herself becoming sick. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to hide. "John, what's going on?"

He moved closer to her, sliding a hand up her thigh. "You own me this."

She pulled away from him. All she could think about was her brother. Tears started to well in her eyes…she couldn't trust anyone. "John—"

He sighed in annoyance, moving away from her. "God, Norma. You always do this. Why am I even going out with you?" He always did this to her. He pushed and pushed until she gave him what he wanted. That was the game he played.

She stared at him for a while, observing the anger ridden in his face. "I'm sorry," she muttered weakly. She moved closer to him. The light from the moon illuminated her, making her braver than before. All she wanted was someone to love her. John was her best bet.

He turned to face her, a little calmer than before. He placed a hand and her leg, kissing her softly. " _I'm_ sorry." He really was a good guy…just a little mislead. He cared for her. He just didn't know what was best for her. He pulled her into his lap, continuing to kiss her.

She sent him an uncertain stare. She'd never done anything like this… willingly. He stared back at her, a smile grazing his face. "I love you," he whispered. She smiled back at him and gave him what he wanted.

Alex wandered about town for a few hours before he found himself outside Norma's bedroom window. He knocked faintly on the glass, hoping her parents wouldn't hear him. But she never came. He waited outside her window all night. He wasn't even sure if he fell asleep by the time the sun came up, but it didn't matter anyway. He was already mindless from his constant discontent.

He wandered back to his house hesitantly. A part of him wanted to never come back, but he had an obligation to his mother. He was the only reason for her to stay…even if it was killing her. He entered the house cautiously. He knew his father was already at work, but he wasn't ever sure what mood his mother would be in nowadays.

The faint sound of music played beneath the silence of the house. He followed it willingly to her bedroom door and peered through the opening she left him. He could see her slumped over on the bed. "Mom?"

The music swelled as he pushed the door open. It was her favorite song… "Everyday" by Buddy Holly. She liked to listen to it when she was sad. Said it made her feel better. He sat down on the bed beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Mom." She didn't answer him.

He glanced up at the mirror on her vanity. She had written a piece of scripture in red lipstick: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud…It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

He stared at the words for a while, reading it over and over. It seemed a little odd. His mother was losing her mind. Beside the mirror was a photograph from when they went to the lake. Alex was eight years old then. He smiled at the memory. It was before his father became the sheriff. It was before everything fell apart.

He moved over to the vanity and spotted the empty bottle of pills. His heart began to ache. He turned back to her, tears blurring his vision. "Mom?" He rushed over to her and shook her violently. But it was too late. She couldn't be saved. He fell to his knees beside the bed and wept for her. He loved her more than anything…and now he lost her. She was finally free. He gazed up at her and stroked the side of her cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."


	6. Chapter 6

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 6: WHY SHE LEFT ME

It felt like hours waiting for the police to come. Alex wasn't at all surprised when his father didn't show up. He was so involved with himself that he couldn't even be there for his family. He was all Alex had left…and he didn't even really have him.

Alex stepped outside as the officers searched the house, heading into the bedroom. An aura of grief washed over the neighborhood. Their prying eyes stalked his house. He caught sight of her through the crowd. He didn't care that she knew. It saved him the pain of having to tell her himself. But she didn't approach him. She stood in her yard with the rest of them, waiting for him to crack. He wouldn't cry in front of them—he couldn't. He took one last look at her. The sunset cast a golden glow around her. But she wasn't an angel. She couldn't save him. He knew that.

The sound of the stretcher wheeling towards him broke his daze. He watched as the men lifted his mother up into the back of the van, the colorful lights disguising their faces.

"Hey, kid." Alex glanced up at his father's deputy. He was the father he never had. Declan took a seat next to him at the foot of the porch. They looked out at the crowd of people, watching as the men packed up the van and drove off. "Don't mind them. They're just curious. They have to have something to talk about." He shook his head at himself. He wasn't the most comforting person. "Acting like they've never seen a dead body before."

But Alex knew better than to listen to him. There wasn't anything he could say that would hurt him. He was already numb. The neighbors began to leave one by one until she was the only one left. She waited a moment unsure whether to stay or not, but she turned and left without a word, leaving only the painful memory of her face witnessing his downfall. Alex turned back to the man beside him, sighing deeply. "Where are they taking her?"

"The morgue." Declan glanced at him. His eyes were cold…tired. "They're gonna do an autopsy."

Alex stood up weakly, shoving his hands in his pockets. "But she killed herself."

The deputy nodded, standing up to match him. "We just need to be sure." He patted him on the back. It was the only comfort he could offer him. He turned and made his way down the driveway, leaving the boy to himself. "Take care of yourself, Alex."

Alex watched him leave before heading back into his house and into his mother's bedroom. He laid down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He knew this day would come. He realized it a couple years back. His father started coming home later…drunker. Strange men would show up at their doorstep asking for his father. He started to change. The whole town started to change. People began accumulating large sums of money out of nowhere. The poor were becoming richer. The whole system had turned on its head.

Alex glanced at himself in the mirror, but all he saw was his mother's reflection. She'd haunt him for the rest of his life. He hated his father. His mother was the perfect woman, and his father ruined her. He ruined the life they had begun. He dragged her into the mess. She tried to get out, but he wouldn't let her. There was nothing she could do to stop him. She knew what he was up to, so he beat for it. He ruined the life they had.

Alex made his way into the living room, reaching into his father's liquor cabinet. Whiskey seemed nice. He popped the top off and downed a third of it, coughing a bit back up. He wiped his mouth of with the back of his hand and slumped down on the couch to wait for his father.

It was late when his dad came home. Alex stayed up waiting for him. He didn't care how long it took. He watched as the man stumbled in through the front door. He was drunker than he usually was. The smell of bourbon followed him down the hall to the bathroom. It was a familiar smell. It was the smell of grief.

Alex dropped the now empty bottle of whiskey and trudged down the hall after him, waiting outside the bathroom door. He was feeling braver than usual. But his anger always drove him to make rash decisions. He pounded on the door, his heart beating wildly. Nothing could stop him now.

His father whipped the door openly angrily. "What?"

"Where the hell where you?" Alex growled. He was gaining a newfound confidence. His father scoffed, shutting the door. But Alex pushed it open, forcing his father back into the room. "Where were you?" He could have strangled him to death. There was no one Alex hated more than this man. His father wouldn't say a word; he just stared back at him in drunken daze. But the more he stared the more Alex thought of his mother. He could feel the tears start to well in his eyes, but his was too mad to care. "You did this to her. You used her just like everyone else." His voice began to shake, but he kept his stance. He was ready to fight. His father grimaced, shoving him into the counter and moving past him out of the bathroom. But he wouldn't get away so easily. Alex ran after him grabbing him by the shirt and ripping it. "I'm talking to you."

His father glanced down at his torn shirt. He'd kill him. Alex dodged his blow, sending his father's fist into the wall. "I'm gonna kill you." It was the sad truth.

Alex stared at him. He couldn't believe the man he'd become. "You killed her."

His father narrowed his eyes. "She killed herself."

He'd never believe it. He ruined the woman he claimed he loved. Alex took a step closer to him. He was done being afraid—he wasn't a boy anymore. "You drove her to it."

"She wanted to die." The man shook his head haughtily. "I always knew she would leave. That's what women do. They play pretend…until they distance and die." He glanced into his bedroom with a sigh. "It's too late now. She isn't worth it." Alex could feel the pain rising in his gut. "Coward."

With a sudden surge of energy, he tackled his father to the floor, striking him in the face. After a few blows, his father passed out. Alex stood up, towering over his father. He glanced down at the blood on his hands and headed for the door.

He found himself at her window, knocking faintly. He needed her. She was the only person he wanted to see. He was the only one he had left to love.

She slid the window open, peering at him with tired eyes. "Alex? It's three o'clock in the morning."

He gazed at her weakly. "I don't have anywhere else to go."

She smiled softly, reaching out a hand to help him up. She knew she was all he had—she liked it that way. A look of horror spread across her face at the sight of the blood he had smeared on his shirt. "What happened?"

"I got in a fight with my dad," Alex mumbled, heading towards the door.

"What'd you do? Kill him?"

He glared at her. "Can I go wash my hands?"

She rolled her eyes, watching him leave the room. Alex was her best friend, yet she found herself distancing herself from him. The cool breeze seeped in through the open window, causing her to shiver. She rubbed her bare arms and headed towards the window, closing it and turning around to view Alex shutting her bedroom door. He made his way to her bed, pulling back to the covers to climb in. "What are you doing?"

He breathed deeply. "I'm going to bed."

She crossed her arms. "Not in that bloody shirt."

A pain formed in his gut. He could feel the tension growing between them. "Well do you have another shirt?"

Her eyes fell to the floor. "No."

She was always difficult. He pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. "Better?"

She stared at him blankly. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Alex never did this before. He was different. She climbed into bed without a word. She didn't know what to say. She thought about telling him about John, but she didn't owe him that.

Alex smiled slightly knowing he'd won this one. He climbed into the bed beside her, turning on his side to view her. The moonlight cast a glow on her face. He turned when she caught him staring at her. He knew she knew how he felt…it was obvious.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek before snuggling up in the blankets and drifting off to sleep.

Alex smiled at her softly, turning away from her. "Thanks, Norma."


	7. Chapter 7

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 7: IF I MOVE ON

She was still asleep when Alex woke up. He smiled at the sight of her. She was as peaceful as she ever could be. She was safe. He wished it was always this way. But he knew it never would be. Soon enough she'd wake up and everything would fall apart again. They could never catch a break. She was just as trapped as he was…maybe even more so. He stood up from the bed, searching the floor for the shirt he had discarded in the night. He found it lying against the closet door, cold from the night. He slipped it on and quietly made his way to the window, glancing back at her before sliding it open and climbing out.

The sun shined down on him, piercing his eyes. He squinted, rubbing his temples. He regretted finishing off that bottle of whiskey. He regretted everything. He was slowly becoming a bigger mess than he ever was. He was helpless. His heart began to pound as he neared his house, but he entered anyway, stopping dead before his father. They stared silently at each other for a while. He could feel his limbs become numb with fear.

His father was the first to move, sipping his cup of coffee. He wasn't going to apologize—he wasn't that kind of guy. But the pain and anger had left him, and all that was left was grief. He glanced down at his son's bloody shirt, a look of confusion grazing his face. "What happened?"

Alex's eyes fell to his shirt. He felt somewhat safer today. He wasn't at all surprised that his father didn't remember what had happened—he was drunker than he'd ever seen him. But Alex didn't feel like fighting anymore. He didn't have it in him. "It's nothing." It was best not to bring it up. Their relationship was already ruined as it was. He turned and made his way down the hall to his bedroom, hoping that that was as far as their conversation would go.

"The funeral's Friday," his father called after him.

Alex knew it was coming. He could feel the sense of unease the second he walked through the door. He stopped in the doorway of his room, glancing over his shoulder at the man. "Okay." There was nothing else he could say. He'd lost the only person who'd ever really cared about him. He could feel his insides tighten. Grief. It would never leave him. He sighed and shut the door behind him. It was best to ignore everything from now on. He didn't ever want to feel this way again. Nothing was worth this pain…not even her.

He found her waiting for him as he walked out to his car. "Hey," he muttered. Norma smiled back at him, climbing into the car. He couldn't stand to lose her, so he'd have to forget her. He climbed in and started the engine, pulling into the street.

He could feel himself distancing from her. The one person he desired comfort from hadn't offered it. He wasn't sure what he wanted from her. And what he thought he wanted scared him half to death. They were halfway there before she finally said a word. She stuttered softly, unsure of whether to say something or not but she had already committed to it. "I'm sorry."

He glanced at her then back at the road ahead. "Sorry for what?"

She sighed, turning her gaze out the window. "Alex." She knew how he was. She knew she'd never get him to open up, especially when it came to his mother.

"I'm fine," he lied. He could feel the tension set in. He was building up a wall between them, and she'd never be able to tear it down. They sat in silence for the rest of the ride. He could feel himself losing her, but he had stopped fighting for her a long time ago. He pulled into a parking space and parked, shutting the engine off. He sighed a bit, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "The funeral's Friday."

She turned to face him, nodding softly. "Okay." She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. She was afraid of hurting him...she was afraid of losing him. But deep down she already knew she had. She thought about reaching for his hand, but stopped herself.

Alex spotted the uncertainty in her eyes and unlocked the doors. "We better get going." The more time he spent with her the harder it became to let her go. But she didn't need him.

All eyes were on Norma as they walked into the building. The constant sound of whispering was nothing new. She made her way to her locker after Alex left for class. She sighed, soaking in the letters scribbled across her locker. Whore. They were probably right. She didn't have the best judgment. She never did. John soon appeared beside her, a look of exhaustion on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he muttered, looking out into the sea of people surrounding them. His usual group of friends passed him without a word. He was losing them. His eyes turned to her locker, anger suddenly filling his face. "Who did it?"

She shrugged sadly, opening her locker and grabbing her books. "Doesn't matter." He was all she needed. She closed the door and grabbed his hand, following him down the hall to her class.

Alex sat in his class waiting for the bell to ring for lunch. He stopped paying attention a while back. He found it hard to focus when everyone was whispering about him or about Norma. They were always worried about something. But they was treating him differently now. Not that they treated him like much of anything before. It was a small town. He knew that they knew what happened to his mother—or rather what she did to herself. He could feel himself sinking...drowning within himself. He needed relief, but everyone kept dragging him back under. He was relieved when the bell rang, though he'd have to fight his way out of the classroom.

"Alex," his teacher called after him. "Can you stay a moment?" He sighed, turning around to face her. He already knew was this was going to be about. He didn't really want to deal with it. She got up from her desk and moved so that she was in front of him, a sad expression on her face. He wanted just to walk out, but he knew that'd get him in more trouble than he needed. Her hand reached out for his shoulder, clutching it lightly. "I'm sorry about what happened to your mother. She was a wonderful woman."

He felt his stomach begin to turn. The thought of his mother sent him spiraling down. But he remained calm. "Thanks," he muttered indifferently. He didn't care for the comfort of others. Especially when it wasn't genuine.

She smiled sadly, leaning in a bit. "If you need anything—"

He pulled away from her. "I'm fine…really." Again with the lies. He couldn't stop. He needed a way out. He made his way towards the door without looking back. "I'm gonna be late for lunch."

Alex made his way over to his usual table. He spotted Norma sitting, gingerly playing with her boyfriend's hair. She smiled at him as he set his tray down, taking the seat across from them.

"What are you guys doing here?" It wasn't that he wanted to be alone. He just didn't cotton to well to the thought of being a third wheel to Norma and her infamous boyfriend.

"We just thought we'd sit here today." Her smile warmed him.

But he fought the feeling, returning back to his typical stoic nature. "Really? Cause I would've guessed it was because no one else will take you." He glanced behind him before turning back to them. "I mean, your usual table doesn't seem to desperate to have you back."

"Alex." She hated when he was like this. He knew that. He smiled smugly at her, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Well I've got all I need right here," John stated, wrapping his arm around Norma. She smiled giddily, nudging him with her side. Alex rolled his eyes at them. "Do you have a problem?" John asked, glaring at him.

Alex glared back at him. He was feeling bolder today. "Yeah, I just really hate liars."

John let go of Norma and placed his hands on the table in front of him. "Just because your mom's dead, doesn't mean you have a right to be an ass."

Alex stood up from the table. He didn't expect her to defend him. He didn't need her to. This was his life now. He'd have to suffer. He didn't mind. He whipped the cafeteria door open, hitting someone in the process. "I'm so sorry," he muttered, helping the girl to her feet.

She fixed her glasses with her free hand, hugging her books to her chest with the other. Her nervous laughter soothed him. "It's fine. It happens all the time."

He smiled for the first time. She was a miracle. He glanced down at her books. "Can I help you with those?"

She shook her head in protest. "You really don't have to."

He laughed softly, taking her books. "I just hit you with a door. I have to." She smiled in appreciation leading him down the hall to her classroom. He felt comfortable with her—like he'd been waiting for her.

They stopped just before her classroom. "Thanks for everything," she smiled. She changed him in some mysterious way. He needed her. They stared at each other for a while before she finally broke out of the daze. "Well, bye…"

"Alex," he told her. "I'm Alex."

"I'm Sally." She sent him one last smile before leaving him. She saved him.

"Who the hell was that?" Bob called out from down the hall.

Alex chuckled, making his way towards him. "That was Sally."

"That your girlfriend?" a voice came from behind Bob.

"Shut up, Summers," Bob spat, giving Alex a friendly nod. He appreciated it. Maybe Bob wasn't so bad.


	8. Chapter 8

**This story is far from over. I apologize for the long, unexpected hiatus. But it's over for now. Tried to make this one longer than usual to make up for all the time I took off, but I couldn't wait any longer to update. I forgot how much I love writing this story so you can expect quicker updates. Thank you for all your love and support. You're all wonderful :) Sorry if the spacing is weird.**

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 8: I LOST YOU

Alex was surprised by Bob's sudden kindness. It was unlike him. He must have been after something…but there was nothing for him to benefit from. Alex shrugged to himself, making his way to his car. He'd had a decent day given the events of yesterday. A smile fell upon his face as he thought of Sally. There was hope for him.

Norma sat on the hood of his car, arms crossed against her chest. She rolled her eyes as he approached her. "Finally," she hissed, climbing down from the hood and into the passenger side.

She wasn't any different from everyone else. It was a painful realization. Alex threw his bag in the back, climbing into the driver's seat. It had been an odd day. Their relationship was hanging by a thread; yet Alex found comfort in his new alliance with Bob Paris. He tried to ignore her presence for a majority of the car ride, but the constant jiggling of her left leg drove him over the edge. "Do you have to do that?" he shouted, gripping the steering wheel a little too hard.

She threw her hands up in defense, relaxing into the side of the door as the radio droned on. The irritation rising inside her was evident. Norma never was good at disguising her emotions. "Why did you have to talk to him like that?"

Alex peeled his eyes off the road to glance at her, confusion ridden in his face. "Who?"

"John," she muttered, avoiding his eyes. "You really pissed him off, you know." She seemed worried. Alex shook the thought from his mind, casting his eyes back to the road. He could hear her breath pick up as the silence fell. She _was_ worried. "Just leave him alone…he's going through some things."

The pang in his heart left him cringing. "We're all going through some things."

Her gaze softened as she looked at him, but it faded as quickly as it had appeared. "Alex, don't." To a stranger she'd seem heartless…cold even. But Alex knew Norma. She was so fragile that she had to hang on to whomever she could catch. He understood that. "Can you just try being nicer to him? I'm all he has."

Alex sighed, nodding despite himself. He drove silent the rest of the way home. If he had been bolder he would've muttered something along the lines of "but you're all _I_ have."

It rained on the day on his mother's funeral. It seemed fitting given the occasion. Alex sat up in bed, feeling the weight of everything pulling him down. The light in his life had faded. It was often difficult for him to get out of bed these days…he had nothing to look forward to. He brushed his teeth and slipped into his old suit. The last time he'd worn it was at a political party for his father's campaign for sheriff. Alex sighed, tying his tie in front of the bathroom mirror. His mother had broken her promise. She said she'd always be there to protect him. But now the thought left him lonely and broken.

He drove to the cemetery alone, arriving early to set up a few things. He smiled at the priest as he approached the gravesite. They had set up a small tent over the grave to shield the guests from the downpour. It seemed nice…nice enough for a funeral planned by a half-drunk man and an eighteen-year-old kid.

The Paris's were the first to arrive. Alex's mother had been good friends with Bob's mother a while back. Bob nodded at him from across the grave, offering him a comforting smile. The Summers' arrived a little while after. Alex greeted them, shaking the hand of Mr. Summers and glancing over his shoulder to smile at the ever-shy Maggie. A majority of the town had shown up. From the Brennan's to the Ford's—even the Berman's made an appearance. Alex was honored that the town cared enough to pay their respects to his mother. It made her life all the more meaningful.

Declan appeared from the gaggle of deputies from the sheriff's department. He seemed to be greying more these days. Must have been from all the shit Alex's father put him through. "How you doing, kid?" he greeted, patting the eighteen-year-old's shoulder.

"I'm fine," Alex muttered, glancing through the crowd to look from Norma.

"Nice plot you picked." Declan was never the most comforting person to be around. But Alex sort of enjoyed his eerie presence. He was more of a father to him than his own father ever was. "Looking for that blonde you're always hanging around?" Alex winced at the older man's comment. Declan smiled knowingly. "I notice these things."

"She's just a friend," Alex explained, casting his eyes back to the crowd.

The man shrugged, helping him search. "I didn't say anything about that."

The rain had picked up a bit as the service began causing the priest to shout a little louder than usual. It was strange…standing alone at his mother's funeral. The large crowd of guests wasn't as comforting as it first seemed. No one wept. Not even Alex—there were too many people. Still Alex couldn't fight the need for someone to hold him. It was times like these that he would seek comfort in his mother's arms, but… He couldn't be thinking that way anymore. He had no one to turn to. Not his mother, not Norma.

They were halfway through the service before Alex realized she hadn't shown up. His heart sunk deep into the pit of his stomach, drowning him. She had abandoned him, leaving him to the comfort of strangers and a wounded heart. A part of him would always resent her for this…no matter what the excuse.

Alex could barely keep his composure when the time came to give the eulogy. He stood above the coffin, hoping the rain disguised the cracking in his voice. "My mother was the most wonderful woman I've ever known. She could light up the world. She was the source of everything good…and sometimes everything bad. She had a smile that could cure a cold. She loved everyone and everyone loved her. She won't be forgotten…not today, not tomorrow."

It was somewhere towards the end of his speech that his father finally arrived, stumbling drunkenly over tombstones and potted plants. "The hell is going on here?" he shouted at the crowd. "You can't just start without me." The guests didn't seem phased by the sheriff's outburst. They all had already heard the rumors of what he'd become and probably weren't considering reelecting him. "What's going on here, Alex?" he whispered to his son, roughly dragging him aside.

"You're late," Alex spat, tearing away from his grasp. He couldn't tell if it was the crowd or reality of his mother's death that left him feeling bolder. Either way he wasn't a coward anymore. If he couldn't save his mother—he could at least save himself.

He didn't flinch when his father took a step closer to him. He was ready for a fight. Fortunately Declan stepped between them, pulling the man aside and muttering something to soothe him. Alex watched as the two men left the gravesite, a gentle hush in the rain.

The crowd had left one by one, first the Summers' then the Ford's along with the rest of the town. Bob made his way over to Alex as his family started out. "Wanna grab a bite to eat?" he offered politely.

"No, thanks," Alex stated, eyes following the others out. "I'm not that hungry."

Bob simply nodded, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I'll see you Monday."

Alex watched him leave, the emptiness starting to seep back in. He was glad Bob had shown up. Though it was odd being comforted by Bob Paris…he'd take what he could get.

He helped pile the dirt up in the grave after the coffin had been set into the ground. Deep down he knew this day would come. His mother was never a stable woman. She was in and out of hospitals for a majority of his life. He thanked the priest, smiling politely as rain fell upon his face. They had taken the tent down hoping the rain would help the grass grow faster. Alex waited till he was alone to lie down upon the grave, burying his face in the dirt as the sobs began to choke his throat.

Norma was getting dressed for the funeral when the sudden creaking of her bedroom door caught her attention. "What you getting dressed up for?" her brother whispered, shutting the door behind him.

"Nothing." She hated him. She wanted to tell him to leave but she couldn't muster up the courage to. The feeling of him close to her made her sick to her stomach. She tried to push his hands away but he was stronger than she was, pinning her against the wall. Her eyes vaulted shut. She wanted to cry out for help, but no one would hear her. Not her parents, not John…not Alex. Tears began to stream down her face as their game continued. She was trapped in the darkness. She always would be.

He left her lying on the floor, her dress still pushed up. She rolled over on her side, pulling her knees into her chest as her sobs shuddered through her. Chaos seemed to swirl around her. She'd never be free.

She didn't offer him an explanation when she got in the car to go to school. Alex was slightly irritated by her presence. The fact that she wouldn't even muster an excuse for not coming to his mother's funeral made him angrier. It was the first time that they rode in true silence, neither one of them muttering a word…each for a different reason.

By the time lunch came around Alex found her sitting at his usual table alone. He wondered where John was and rolled his eyes at himself for caring. A hand caught him as he made his way over to his table. "Where do you think you're going?" Bob shouted, pulling Alex towards his table. "You're sitting with us from now on."

Alex smiled half-heartedly, setting his tray on the table. He felt nervous sitting with Jimmy Brennan and Keith Summers. They had always picked on him…now they were somehow friends. He glanced back at Norma who ate alone, eyes avoiding anyone who might be watching.

"You should invite your girlfriend to come sit with us?" Keith laughed, gobbling down his pork sandwich.

Alex furrowed his brow. "Norma?" He felt bad that she was alone, but a part of him was still mad that—

"Hi, Alex."

He glanced up at the brunette standing beside him. "Sally." Her smile warmed him. Bob coughed, nudging him in the side. Alex smiled weakly, rubbing his new forming bruise. "Oh, uh, do you wanna join us?"

He was slightly surprised that she had accepted his offer. He was glad she had nonetheless. He'd had a better time eating with them than he'd had eating with Norma and John. He missed being able to laugh with friends. It was nice to forget the mess of reality for once.

"I heard what happened to your mother," she told him as they made their way into the parking lot after school. "I'm really sorry."

"It's all right. I'll be okay," he smiled. "Thanks for walking me to my car."

Her laugh melted him. "You're very welcome."

A wave of nerves washed over him as a thought crossed his mind. "Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow's Tuesday?" she giggled lightly.

He furrowed his brow playfully. "Yeah, so?"

"It's a school night." Alex could tell from the way she spoke that she was the complete opposite of Norma. This girl was the classic girl-next-door, even though Norma really was the girl next door.

He kicked himself internally for thinking about her, avoiding Sally's gaze to cover his mistake. "Doesn't mean I can't see you."

"Okay," she beamed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Alex waited for her to leave before climbing into the car. He started the engine, suddenly remembering he had to wait for Norma. His heart pained at the thought of seeing her, but he couldn't just abandon her at school. He knew her life.

She didn't smile or say hello when she got in the car. She didn't even glance at him. She seemed more upset than she ever was, but Alex tried not to acknowledge it. They drove in silence like they had before, the tension in the air turning to emptiness.

Alex pulled into his driveway and unlocked the doors. "I don't think I should drive you to school anymore," he muttered. "I think you should ask John to take you."

She didn't say anything. Her face never faltered. She got out of the car as abruptly as his sentence had ended and scurried off into her house without a goodbye.

Alex sighed, climbing out of the car. He was losing his best friend, and he was the one pushing her away. Things had become complicated since John came into the picture. It used to be Alex and Norma against the world, and now with Norma spending all her time with John…Alex was all alone.

Being at home was a constant reminder of that loneliness. But he didn't have anywhere else to go. His mother's death had been the catalyst of it all. His father was rarely home as it was, but now after everything Alex never saw him.

He sorted through the mail his father had thrown on the kitchen counter, studying a flyer for a police academy in Portland. It would be the perfect escape. Alex could leave everything behind and gain the knowledge to save the ones that couldn't save themselves. He chuckled to himself, throwing the flyer in the trash. The last thing he'd want is to follow in his father's footsteps.

Tuesday had gone more smoothly than Alex had thought. He didn't see Norma except at lunch. She seemed more content with John by her side. Alex smiled across the table to Sally, who giggled as Maggie Summers whispered something in her ear. It was strange how comfortable he was sitting with these people. He was learning a lot about them. Bob's relationship with his family wasn't any different from Alex's, and Jimmy Brennan really was as angry as he had always seemed. These people's lives weren't perfect. They were just as neglected and abused as Alex was. Maybe he wasn't as alone as he thought he was.

"So you and Maggie are friends?" Alex asked on the drive down to the local diner.

Sally smiled, nodding softly. "Yeah. She's kind of my best friend actually." Alex wasn't at all surprised. Sally seemed just as shy and quiet as Maggie was. He smiled lightly, returning his gaze to the road. He could feel her eyes on him when he wasn't looking at her. They warmed his soul. "Is Bob your best friend?"

Alex held back a laugh. He wasn't exactly sure if they were even friends. "No," he let out. "No, he's not."

She leaned in curiously, almost whispering. "Then who's your best friend?"

A familiar pain returned to him. The answer was hanging in the air. Norma. She was the only real friend he'd ever had. He sighed, trying to shake her from his mind. "I don't have a best friend."

She must have sensed his hesitancy. "Oh." He could feel the tension start to set in as she pulled away from him. She laughed out of nervousness, clearing the air. "Well that's okay. I'm sure Bob considers you his best friend."

"Yeah?" Alex chuckled at her innocence.

The diner was nearly full when they got there. But the loud bustle of the town seemed to calm them both. They took the booth near the back and placed their order when the waitress showed up.

"So how long have you lived here?" Alex asked, glancing around to see if anyone from school was around. It didn't matter anyway, no one really knew who he was.

Sally took a sip of her coke before relaxing into her seat. Her eyes fell to the table as she fiddled with the paper straw cover. "My mom and I moved out here a few months ago. She and my dad got a divorce, and she kind of wanted a fresh start. So she got a job at one the boutiques in town and here we are in White Pine Bay… also known as the middle of nowhere."

Alex laughed slightly. "You don't like it here?"

Her eyes shot up in defense. "No, that's not what I meant." His smile eased her. She sighed, gazing at the black and white photographs behind him. "It's just…I feel like I could get lost here and no one would know where to find me, you know."

His smile fell as he waited for her gaze to meet his. "I'd find you."

She looked away from him shyly. He felt bad for making her this nervous. He was just being honest. She let her hands fall to her lap, smoothing out her skirt. "So what does your dad do for a living?"

Alex held his breath for a moment. The thought of his father made him tense. He could lie and try to live in bliss until she found out. Or he could tell her the truth and watch her walk out the door. He sighed, knowing he'd never lie about something as stupid as this. "He's the sheriff."

Her expression froze. "Oh," she muttered, trying to sound as casual as possible though her eyes fell again. "That must be nice."

"He's an asshole."

She glanced up at him, seemingly disturbed by the comment. "I'm sorry," she whispered. The waitress brought their food, saving them from the awkwardness setting in. Her gaze never left him though. "My dad's a jerk too," she admitted after the waitress left. "That's why we left Ohio."

Alex sent her a sad smile. "Well, welcome to White Pine Bay."

After dropping Sally off, Alex came home to find his father sifting through his mother's things. "What are you doing?" Alex muttered, picking up a few of his mother's dresses.

"What does it look like? I'm getting rid of this shit," his father grumbled, stuffing sweaters into a goodwill box.

Alex glanced about the room, fighting back the urge to grab everything he could and hoard it at the bottom of his closet for the rest of his life. It was all happening too fast. Change was a difficult thing for Alex to accept. Losing his mother planted a numbness inside him that couldn't be dug out. He wanted to live in denial for a little while longer, but… His eyes landed on a small black box sitting on the arm of the chair. "You're not getting rid of that, are you?"

His father glanced up from the boxes, irritation quickly rising. "What?"

"Her ring." Alex fumbled with the box, propping it open. His mother had stopped wearing it a while back. Said she didn't feel the need to anymore.

His father rolled his eyes, returning to the task at hand. "I'm gonna pawn it."

Alex whipped around, his eyes daggers. "You can't just—"

The sheriff stood up, towering over him. "We need the money, Alex." It was the sad truth. They weren't nearly as well off as the Paris's or Summers'. His mother's hospital bills had always left a burden on their family. Alex knew his father was in debt…he just didn't know how bad it really was.

He waited for his father to leave the room before stashing the ring in his pocket and going to bed. It was the only thing he kept of hers. It stood as a symbol of a brighter time in his life. It was his one memory of her.

Norma sat with her back against the edge of her bed, waiting for the timer to beep. She had held her breath for as long as she could. The pain of reality was seeping back in. She couldn't escape it this time. It lived inside her. A part of her thought that everything would be okay, maybe she was just overreacting. But she was several weeks late, and it began to scare her.

Her heart dropped as she read the result, rolling her eyes at her own misfortune. She knew what had happened…when it had happened. She sank down the side of her bed till she hit the cold wood floor. She felt disgusting, wishing she could rip her own organs out.

She was home alone so she cried as loud as she wanted to. Her life had somehow slipped out of her hands. She couldn't control her own reality. She stood up from the floor, making her way to the kitchen. Tears blurred her vision as she rummaged through the drawers for a knife. Her grasp tightened around the first one she found, her sobs suddenly slowing as she thought of Alex's mother. She couldn't do that to him…not after everything.

She set the knife back in the drawer and went back to her bedroom, lying down on the bed with her hands folded over her stomach. What was she going to tell Alex? …what she tell John? He'd leave her if he thought… This was her ticket out. She could convince John that this was his and she'd never have to see Caleb or her parents ever again. It was the perfect escape. Norma sighed, rolling her eyes at herself. It was a ridiculous idea.


	9. Chapter 9

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 9: KEEPS ME WARM

Norma was slightly surprised to find herself smiling as John pulled up to take her to school. His car was a lot nicer than Alex's, though Alex was a better driver. Norma closed her eyes, breathing deeply. She had to stop comparing John to Alex.

"You look pale," he muttered once she was inside the car.

"I'm not feeling very well," she explained, settling into her seat. She hadn't slept at all last night. She stopped crying around three in the morning and spent the rest of the time waiting to throw up. She hadn't yet. She thought about telling him her news, but decided against it. Now wasn't the best time. "Thanks for driving me. I really appreciate it."

John smiled, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "It's no problem. I didn't really like that kid driving you anyway."

Norma furrowed her brow, glancing over at him. "Alex?"

"Yeah. I'm glad you stopped hanging around him." She hadn't stopped being friends with him. At least she thought they were still friends. "I'm pretty sure he has a crush on you. Always following you around like a lost puppy. It's pathetic really."

A pained formed in her heart. "His mom just died."

John scoffed, rolling his eyes. "What does that have to do with anything? Doesn't make him any less of a loser. Maybe now that she's dead he'll stop being a mama's boy and grow a pair." She could have slapped him just for that. Her anger and breakfast were rising within her. She wasn't sure if she was going to cry or throw up. John glanced at her briefly. "What? You don't care for him, do you?"

She tried to breathe normally, stumbling over her words. "I…I don't like him like that."

John nodded, turning back to the road. "Good."

Norma had been fine. The nauseas feeling had finally disappeared after her second class. She got her books from her locker and turned to go to her next class. Her heart dropped as she spotted Alex, his arm wrapped around some brunette. She grimaced at the sight, stopping dead. Part of her was offended he'd replaced her so fast. Though this relationship seemed to be one of a more intimate nature. She wasn't sure but she certainly wasn't going to ask. He seemed happy. The thought of someone else causing his happiness drove her a little mad. She panicked when Alex spotted her watching them. The nauseas feeling had returned this time worse than before, sending her running down the hall to the girl's bathroom.

She tried to ignore the other girls' whispers as she left the bathroom stall, but she didn't have the strength to snap something back at them. She couldn't stop the tears from seeping out. They blinded her temporarily, causing her to bump into a firm body.

"Hey, are you all right?" Alex asked, gripping her shoulders in an attempt to balance her.

Her breathing became erratic as the tears continued to flow. "I'm fine," she lied, pushing past him and rushing off to her class. She hadn't noticed that the brunette had disappeared from his side. She hadn't even noticed the concern laced in his voice. Her goal was survival…and she was failing.

"You know prom's in a few months." Norma barely heard John's voice over the bustle of the cafeteria. He seemed to blend in with everyone else. He was just a means to an end. Not really important, yet important enough to keep her interested. "Norma?"

She had zoned out the second she sat down. She liked John, but she wasn't sure she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. What choice did she have? She couldn't stay in White Pine Bay. The town was already gossipy enough without a pregnant teenager. And who knew how her parents would react to the news…if they'd react at all. She could feel his gaze lingering on the side of her face, suffocating her. "Hmm?"

"Prom?" John offered, biting into his apple.

The last thing Norma wanted was to show up to a school function with her stomach bulging out of her like a balloon. "Sure," she mumbled mindlessly. It wasn't worth the fight…not right now at least. She needed him happy.

Her gaze landed on the table across from them. Alex's new table to be exact. She cringed at the thought of him being friends with Bob Paris—the same kid who sent little Alex home crying everyday in elementary school. And Keith Summers, the town bully. Since when was Alex so popular among the bad kids? He hated those people a week ago and now all of the sudden they were friends?

Her heart stopped when she spotted the girl from earlier. She had been staring for so long she almost hadn't noticed the girl's curious stare glaring back at her. It was Alex who startled her. He must have noticed the girl's gaze behind him, spinning around to see what was so interesting. Norma knew he saw her—there was nothing else for him to see. She watched him mutter something to the girl as he got up. For a second she thought he might be coming over to sit with her but he went for the door instead, leaving her lonelier than before.

It was nearing midnight when she found herself knocking on his bedroom window. Probably wasn't the best idea to be standing outside in pajama shorts in the beginnings of February. Catching a cold was the last thing she needed right now, but she had expected Alex to come to her rescue quicker than he had.

It wasn't that he was asleep. He was just as awake as she was. He sighed, hearing her faint knock on the cold glass. What she could possibly want, he didn't know. Part of him wanted to leave her out there. It would be his own personal revenge. She had John. She didn't need to be climbing through his window and cuddling up with him for warmth. He rolled his eyes, making his way to the window. The sight of her shivering chilled him. He watched her for a moment. She seemed to be staring off in the distance, probably contemplating why she even came. He slid the window open, starling her. "What's the problem, Norma?"

She glanced up at him sadly, roughly rubbing her arms to keep warm. "Are you gonna let me in?"

He stood blocking her entrance. "Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?"

She nodded with annoyance. The warmth of his arms seeped into her as he helped her inside. Her breath came in a cloud inches from his face, sending his emotions into a frenzy. He seemed flustered as he searched for a throw blanket, unfolding one and walking back towards her. She smiled as he wrapped it around her.

He studied her for a moment, waiting for an explanation that would never come. "Well?"

Her eyes fell as she fidgeted beneath the blanket, stumbling towards his bed and climbing in. She settled against the headboard, patting the spot next to her. But he didn't move. He was done complying. The cold winter air still lingered in the room, stiffening his muscles. She noticed this because like the previous times they've shared a bed—he wasn't wearing a shirt. "I missed you."

Her voice rang through him, piercing his heart. "Don't tease me," he whispered to himself.

"I'm not," she breathed. He kicked himself for allowing her to hear him. Of course she heard him. They were the only ones home. The only sound was the gentle humming of the refrigerator down the hall. She motioned for him to sit with her, this time less insistent than before. His hesitancy returned as he complied with her request. Her eyes, a pale blue, stalking him. "I'm sorry," she told him.

He shook his head, folding the blankets over his lap as he settled in. "It's fine. You didn't wake me up."

"I meant for not showing up. I was gonna come but—" Her breath hitched in her throat. Caleb flickered through her thoughts, choking her. "I got caught up and couldn't get out." The pain of reality would kill her sooner or later. She always knew she'd die of a broken heart. "I'm so sorry, Alex. I…I'm sorry for everything."

Alex winced. He hated seeing her upset. And he didn't really want to talk about his mother either. The thought of her clouded him, drowning all the strength he had left. His eyes scanned the room, desperately trying to tame the storm brewing inside him. "What happened earlier today?"

He seemed to catch her off guard. Her erratic breathing had stopped completely, and he wondered if the abrupt subject change had killed her. She froze, her heartbeat becoming more predominant. "It was nothing. I'm fine."

"Norma." He could always tell when she was lying. He could hear it in her voice.

She grew tense, trying to scare away his concern. "I just threw up, okay?"

"Are you sick?" It wasn't that he was disgusted to be around her if she was. He had an unexplainable need to care for her—protect her—whether it be from shameless jerks or the common cold.

She sat still for a while. The tension had left her body but the melancholy feeling remained. She had played the scene over in her head about a hundred times. She was mortified. Not just by the fact that Alex knew something was up, but that he was with someone else…that he could _be_ with someone else. The thought that she might need him more than he needed her pained her. Her eyes fell to his hands that lay in his lap. "Who was that girl you were with?"

He couldn't say he was shocked she had asked. He knew the subject would come up sooner or later, but he couldn't help but feel that she was only using it as an excuse to avoid an interrogation. His eyes drifted to view her pale face in the moonlight. "That was Sally."

Norma snuggled into the blanket, leaning against him. "Is she your girlfriend?"

He breathed deeply, trying to relax with her resting against his chest. "No," he muttered. "No, I don't think so."

She wasn't relieved at all, though she didn't let it show. Her body was still cold lying against him, but the feeling of him soothed her. She closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of him. "Do you like her?"

A familiar pain formed inside him, gnawing its way out. "Norma."

"It's okay if you do."

Then why did he feel like he was cheating? "I'm kind of tired," he lied. "You should get some sleep." She peeled herself off of him, about to utter something in defense but he turned away before she could. The walls of his room were his only solace. Without them, he'd lose control.


	10. Chapter 10

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 10: THE LOVE IN YOUR EYES

She was still lying next to him when he woke up. Alex turned to her, a look of confusion grazing his face. She usually disappeared in the night, yet here she was lying with her blonde locks in mess around her face. He stood up from the bed and made his way down the hall to brush his teeth. Part of him hoped she wake up and leave without a word, but she was still lying there when he came back.

The sound of him shuffling about the room must have woke her up. She stirred from her sleep, murmuring something to herself before catching his gaze. Embarrassment washed over them as they stared at each other. "I didn't mean to stay here all night," Norma admitted, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

Alex fumbled with his pants, quickly sliding them up his legs. He'd thought he had time to dress before she woke, but he was wrong. His eyes fell to the exposed skin on her legs as he buckled his belt. The sunlight peeked in through the window, illuminating the scar she had on her inner thigh. Normally he'd ignore the bumps and bruises he found on her, but he couldn't fight the eerie feeling burrowing inside him. "What happened to your leg?"

She glanced up at him in shock, immediately regretting her choice of nightwear. "It's nothing. I just spilled some hot chocolate." She wouldn't look him in the eye. She never could. Lies were her only form of protection, and she wasn't a very good liar. She nearly bolted for the door, frowning as he blocked her exit. "I have to go home. John's gonna be here soon."

His heart ached when he looked at her. She was the poster child for a lifetime of pain. It killed him. He breathed deeply, praying that what he thought had happened wasn't true though he had a good feeling it was. "Did he do this to you?"

She stared up at him, confusion ridden in her face. "John? No, he'd never—"

"You know who I'm talking about," he muttered, his eyes flickering away from her. "I know, Norma. I know what he did to you."

She froze, her eyes never leaving him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He cringed, his mind flashing back to the night that had haunted him for weeks. "I heard you screaming when I was raking the leaves one day."

Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she struggled to breathe. "Alex."

She didn't have to say anything more. He knew the truth the moment she looked into his eyes. "I'm sorry he hurt you."

She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, and she found herself wanting to crumble in his arms…but she didn't. The sound of a car pulling up caught her attention. "I have to go," she muttered, pushing past him and making her way to the front door.

It had been about a week since Alex had seen Norma. He knew she was purposely avoiding him. She had made it blatantly obvious—turning the other direction when he saw her in the hall, rushing inside her house after school. He tried not to take it personally. She had been through a lot. He could only imagine how humiliated he must have made her feel.

He'd spent a majority of the week trying to forget his mistake, hoping that Norma would eventually cave and forgive him. Part of him knew she'd never get past it though. The truth was out, and her pain would linger with them…forever the elephant in the room. He needed to escape just as much as she did. But there was nowhere to escape in White Pine Bay.

The feeling of someone invading his space broke his daze. "Happy Valentine's day," Sally exclaimed, setting her lunch tray down next to him.

Shit. "Uh, yeah, happy Valentine's day," Alex smiled halfheartedly. He'd forgotten of course. But he wasn't even sure if they were a couple or not.

He watched as she picked the turkey off her sandwich. She claimed she was a vegetarian…he wasn't buying it. She smiled at him after a while, biting into her bread and cheese. "So what do you have planned for tonight?" Alex froze. This had to be a trap. He opened his mouth, trying to muster something, but… "Relax. This isn't an interrogation," Sally giggled lightly. "I just wanted to know if you were doing anything special for Valentine's Day. Jeez."

Alex felt his breath finally escape him as he settled into the bench. He was somewhat relieved that she wasn't pressuring him into a relationship. Maybe she knew he was still naively hanging on to someone else. "I don't do Valentine's Day," he muttered indifferently.

She rolled her eyes, still chewing on her so-called sandwich. "Don't tell me you're one of those people."

Sally was a nice distraction from the reality of his life. "I don't know what you're talking about," he chuckled.

She scoffed in disbelief. "Commercial holiday? Greet card companies?"

Alex nearly glared at her, his mood suddenly changing. "I just don't like Valentine's Day, okay?"

She didn't seem to mind or notice. The smug smile never left her face. She thought she knew the truth…if only. "That's because you never have anyone to spend it with."

Or it was because his mother never had anyone to spend it with and he forced himself to spend it with her, and now that she's gone— "Maybe," he told her, getting up from the table. "I'm gonna be late for class."

Norma tried to forget what Alex had told her. She would live in denial for the rest of her life if she had to. This baby was John's…that's all she had tell herself. Though a life with John wasn't looking as appealing as she thought. "I don't think we should do this," she uttered when he climbed on top of her. They'd had a nice evening up until John pulled up in the same empty parking lot they always pulled up in. Fear ran through her as he caressed her newly exposed skin. "Can't we do something else?" She didn't have to see him to know he wasn't listening. "I wanna go home," she cried.

But that didn't stop him. "It's Valentine's day," he breathed, fiddling with the buttons on her dress.

She could feel herself getting sick, desperately trying to fight the tears rising up. "John, please."

But he pressed on. "God, Norma, you always do this. You're such a tease."

Sometimes she wanted to run and hide. This was one of those times. But there was nowhere to go. She found strength inside herself that night. She would no longer be hopeless. She gently pushed him off her. This baby gave her hope. "I want you to take me home."

And he did. Though Norma wandered over to Alex's front door instead. She knew he'd be home. He was always home. He seemed surprised to see her when he answered the door. "Shouldn't you be out with John?" he questioned, opening the door further.

"I just got back," she stated, pushing past him. "Why aren't you out with…"

"I told you she's not my girlfriend," he groaned, desperately trying to disguise the irritation in his voice.

She shrugged indifferently, taking a seat on the sofa to thumb through the mail on the coffee table. Her heart sank as she scanned a flyer addressed to Alex. "Portland police academy?"

He tried to read the expression on her face. She was normally so transparent, but tonight she was completely unreadable. "I'm gonna enroll there after we graduate."

She glanced up at him, worry starting to seep into her face. "You're not gonna stay in White Pine Bay?"

"No," he told her. Part of him knew he'd stay if she asked him to. But she wasn't going to. He sighed, taking a seat next to her. "Think I need a change of scenery. At least for a little while."

Silence fell among them as she returned the flyer to its spot on the table. Norma breathed, smoothing the skirt of her dress. Her mind had been a mess for days. She needed to talk to someone, but hadn't had the courage to…not until now at least. "Alex, I have to tell you something." She could feel his eyes studying her carefully. For as much as he pretended to be stoic and indifferent, he could never hide his worry for her. "I'm pregnant."

He froze. Part of him thinking this was some sort of cruel joke, but the sadness in her eyes didn't lie. "Why are you telling me this?"

She hadn't expected him to be so distant. All she wanted was the warmth of his arms and his undying support. "I don't know. I just thought—"

"You just thought what? I'd drop everything and help you?" She was always using him for something. He knew she only told him so he'd stay and take responsibility for someone else's actions. "I don't have the answer for everything, Norma. I'm not magical."

Her mouth fell open in shock as the tears started to well. She was already on her own. "I know," she muttered, shifting uncomfortably. "Please don't say anything to John. I haven't told him."

Alex rolled his eyes, moving towards the door. "Yeah. I figured." He couldn't fight the pang of jealousy gnawing at his heart. He'd always thought she'd be his wife one day. And somehow this news shattered that dream. "You should go home. It's late."

She didn't know why she felt she needed to apologize…she'd done nothing wrong. "Alex," she pleaded. But the look on his face told her it was better that she left.

His eyes followed her out the door as he fought the instinct to pull her close. "Happy Valentine's Day," he mumbled, closing the door behind her.

But the thought of her kept him awake at night. John wasn't capable of taking care of Norma and their unborn child. Alex cringed at the thought of John fathering a child. He wasn't responsible enough…neither was Norma, but she'd learn. Alex didn't know John well enough to predict how he would react to the news. What if he left her? Abandoned her to take care of the child on her own? Her family sure wasn't going to help her…if they'd even notice she was pregnant.

Alex sighed, rolling over to stare at the wall. He could take care of a baby…he could try at least. He'd have to give up the police academy, but he was slightly okay with that. Everything would be okay as long as Norma was safe with him. Alex smiled to himself, leaning over to open the drawer of his nightstand. He pulled out the little black box and admired it a while before setting it on the pillow next to him. It was about time he took ahold of his life. He wanted to be happy, and happiness didn't exist without Norma.


	11. Chapter 11

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 11: LOVED YOU FROM THE START

John seemed to be over their little fight by the time he came to take Norma to school. He apologized to her the way he always did…halfheartedly, his big blue eyes deceiving her once again. She couldn't bring herself to stay mad at him. In time she'd be using him the way he uses her. It was sad that their relationship was built on lies and faulty trust. But who else could she rely on? Alex was becoming so hard to read these days, and she cared about him too much to trap him the way she planned to do with John. She hated herself for what she was going to do, but she hated herself even more for what she'd already done. She knew what had happened was her fault and she couldn't hide it. She couldn't hide the truth, not when it was growing inside her.

The wind felt nice blowing against her cheek as she rolled the window down. She knew she'd have to tell him sooner or later. Though it wasn't all that likely that he'd notice. "John," she muttered, closing her eyes to steady herself. Her heart rate had picked up, causing her hands to shake. She opened her eyes find him gazing at her, only occasionally casting his eyes back to the road ahead. The sick feeling had returned, and she winced at the thought of their life together. But the words poured out beside herself. "I'm pregnant."

He chuckled at first, not entirely sure if she was joking or not. But his demeanor changed as her silence settled in. "No, you're not," he stated, his eyes glued to the road. "You can't be."

Fear drowned her as she listened to his voice. She sunk down in her seat, tears blinding her temporarily. She was afraid to manipulate him, but what choice did she have? She was running out of options.

"You better not be joking," he warned.

She looked up at him, tears streaming down from her swollen eyes. "I'm not."

He cringed, slamming his fist against the steering wheel in frustration. "Shit, Norma. How could you let this happen?"

She couldn't speak. Her emotions were jammed in her throat, suffocating her. The sound of her sobs filled the car as they turned down the street heading towards the school. After a while, John turned the radio up to mask her excessive sniffling and hiccupping. He didn't say a word as they pulled into the parking lot. He didn't even help her out of the car as he usually did. He left her behind, locking the door once he was sure she had gotten out.

Alex was driving home from school when he spotted Norma walking along the side of the road. He slowed his speed, easing up beside her. "Hey," he shouted, startling her a bit. Her face was red and puffy from the tears that had fallen from her cloudy eyes. It was a sight he was sadly used to. "Do you need a ride home?"

She kept her eyes trained on the ground as she continued walking. "I don't want a ride," she choked angrily.

"I didn't ask you if you _wanted_ a ride. I asked if you _needed_ one." She didn't want to talk to him—he couldn't blame her. He sighed as she picked up her pace. "Would you just get in the car?" But she wasn't going to give up without a fight. He knew that. He rolled his eyes, putting the car in park and climbing out to run after her. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have treated you like that. I wasn't having a very good day." But he knew she didn't want to hear his lame excuses. She was heard excuses her whole life. "It threw me off guard," he explained, watching as she stopped dead. He was glad her back was to him; he didn't want her to see the terrified look ridden in his face. "There's no excuse for how I acted. I was a jerk, and I'm sorry." She turned around, the same sad eyes glowing back at him. "I'll let you punch me."

Her lips twitched into a smile. "Okay," she mouthed. Alex winced as she punched him as hard as she could. She chuckled softly, making her way to the passenger side of his car. "Are you coming, or not?"

He watched her in disbelief, rubbing his arm to ease the bruising she'd given him. It always amazed him how quickly her mood could change. It reminded him of his mother in a lot of ways. "Did you have to punch me that hard?" he asked, climbing into the vehicle.

She rolled her eyes at him. "We gotta toughen you up before you get to that police academy. They'll beat you up in the first five minutes."

Alex sighed, pulling off the side of the road. She was probably right. He wasn't exactly the toughest guy in school. The only reason he never got beat up was because his father was the sheriff…that and he was invisible to everyone else.

There was a brief period of silence before she turned to face him, her eyes looking more solemn than before. "You're not really gonna go, are you?" Her voice seemed to paralyze him, stilling everything but the beating of his heart.

He glanced at her, his voice barely audible above the music. "I don't really have a reason to stay, do I?" He didn't mean to be so forward, but he couldn't help himself. If he left…he might never come back.

His response seemed to frighten her. She turned to look out the window, avoiding his lingering gaze. "What about that girl?"

Alex knew where this was going; yet he couldn't stop himself from falling victim to her game. He couldn't control himself around her. "I told you she's just a friend."

She nodded in remembrance, keeping her gaze on the trees whipping by. Her mouth dropped open as if she was going to say something else, but she changed her mind thinking better of it. She sat in silence for a while, her thoughts speaking for her. Alex glanced at her, watching the storm brew in her mind. She turned away from him and rested into the seat, tucking her legs beneath her. "Would you stay if I asked you to?"

Alex's felt his heart burrow deep inside him. Part of him was afraid to trust her—afraid to think that maybe this wasn't one of her games. "Of course," he told her.

All of her energy seemed to have drained out of her. She looked exhausted, lying limply in the passenger seat, staring longingly out the window. "But I'm just a friend," she whispered.

"You're more than just a friend, Norma." Alex bit his tongue, immediately regretting his response. He cringed, glaring at the road ahead as her eyes fell upon him. His heart pounded wildly in its steel cage. "You're my best friend," he reassured her.

She nodded knowingly, the tension leaving the air as they pulled into Alex's driveway. "Thanks for the ride," she told him, watching in confusion as he got out and ran around the car to get the door for her. "You didn't have to do that. I could have gotten it myself, you know?"

"It's the least I could do after last night." He smiled as she climbed out, catching her glance. "I really am sorry…about everything. I've been a real jerk these past few days, and you deserve better than that."

She smiled lightly at him, her eyes falling to her feet as she bit her lip. "Don't go."

Alex furrowed his burrow, not entirely understanding her. "What?"

And then it happened. She leaned into him, both hands clutching the sides of his face, pulling him down to her. His heart jumped as she kissed him gently, warming his heart. "I said don't go."


	12. Chapter 12

**I apologize for the random mini hiatus. I'm gonna try to post the next chapter within the week to make up for the wait. Anyway, thanks for reading. Love you all :)**

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 12: IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND

This moment had clouded his thoughts for months...maybe even years. The thought that it had actually happened terrified him. She knew the truth now. There was no going back. It was strange how familiar it felt to be with her like this. They had been best friends their whole lives, yet all of that seemed to change in an instant. Alex pulled away from her, staring at her in shock.

She opened her eyes to view his expression, regret flooding her face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"It's fine," he muttered over top of her. He could still feel his pulse thumping through every vein in his body, his chest tightening making it harder to breathe.

Her eyes fell to the ground, a little shamed of herself for making assumptions about him. "I should go."

He watched her turn to make her way around the car, her boots sinking into the grass as she crossed her lawn. "Come over tonight," he shouted after her.

She stopped at the sound of his voice, a slight smirk forming on her face. "Okay," she shouted back without bothering to turn around. "I'll see you at seven."

Anxiety washed over him as he stood alone, waiting for her to enter her house before bolting inside his own and slamming the door behind him. Everything was falling into place. Maybe everything was going to be all right for once. For the first time in a very long time…he was happy.

Alex rushed into his room, nearly tripping over the heaps of clothes lying carelessly on the floor. He silently cursed himself for not cleaning up. He'd have a lot of work to do before Norma came over, and he wanted everything to be perfect for her. The little black box was still lying where he'd left it the night before. He smiled to himself, glancing out the window into the bright evening sky.

It was around five o'clock when John had showed up at Norma's doorstep begging for forgiveness. She rolled her eyes at him, a part of her glad he had come at a time when her parents weren't home. "I'm sorry," he pleaded. "I was surprised. How was I supposed to react? I mean, you kind of just laid it all on me."

She cringed at the pang of guilt rising within her. The thought of Alex roamed inside her mind. "Just forget it. It doesn't matter anymore." She tried to close the door but he stopped her, grabbing her wrist a bit too roughly.

"It does matter," he barked. "It's my child too."

Her mouth fell open, part of her starting to correct him but she stopped herself. She could feel tears starting to well in her eyes as she thought of every possible outcome. She hated that this was her life. She hated what had happened to her. But most of all she hated her brother for hurting her—for betraying the trust they had held sacred for so many years.

"We can be in Phoenix in a couple of days. I took the money from my college fund. I'll get a job in a mechanic shop. We'll have to live in a motel room for a few days—maybe a week at most. But we should be able to afford a small apartment once I start working." Norma was surprised to see that he had thought this through so thoroughly. She still didn't say anything though. She couldn't bring herself to say anything. John was offering her a ticket out of town. How could she refuse? She stared at him, her expression unreadable. He let go of her wrist, letting her slid back behind the door—only her bright blue eyes shining in the darkness of the house. He watched her sink back, clearly saddened by her reluctance. "We can leave tomorrow if you want."

He left after that. Norma closed the door as he disappeared inside his car. She rushed over to the window to watch him leave, a pain forming inside her gut. She didn't want to have to choose between her best friend and her boyfriend. Her choice was obvious from the start. Alex would protect her—he always had.

Everything was perfect. The house was perfumed with the smell of his mother's famous spaghetti recipe. It was the only thing Alex knew how to cook. His mother had gotten around to teaching him her recipes on her good days. Spaghetti was the only one he actually remembered.

The sound of Dean Martin's voice swelled inside the house, pouring thoughtfully into each room. Alex smiled to himself, lighting the last of the candles he had placed around the house. Tonight would be perfect. It had to be. His life was changing.

Alex jumped at the sound of a soft knock coming from the front door, glancing down at his watch eagerly. It was 6:45…she was early. He smiled to himself, desperately trying to keep his cool. His heart dropped as he opened the door viewing the girl standing before him. "Sally?"

She stared back at him, clearly surprised to see him so dressed up. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt anything," she stuttered. "It's just…when I asked you if you'd help me with my English project you said come over whenever. And I thought that you wouldn't be doing anything, and…I'll just go."

"Wait," Alex sighed, watching as she turned to leave. "I have a little bit of time."

Sally turned around to face him, her smile gleaming up at him as she embraced him. "Thank you, Alex. You're the best."

Alex fought to roll his eyes, pushing the door open for her. "Yeah. I know." He hated that he was always the nice guy. It made him vulnerable. "So what's this project about?"

She seemed to be in awe of her surroundings. Alex had to admit…he had done a nice job putting the house together. Sally stopped at the record player, suddenly realizing he had just spoken to her. "Emily Dickinson," she mused, turning to face him. "You clean up nicely."

Alex glanced down at himself. He seemed to have forgotten about dress shirt and pants. "Thanks," he muttered somewhat indifferently. "I'm expecting someone."

He hated the way her face fell, her eyes drifting over to the kitchen table stopping suddenly at the sight of the little black box. "I just wanted you to read my report," she told him. "It's due on Tuesday. I can come back tomorrow."

Alex sighed to himself, knowing he would always be the nice guy. "I can read it now. I have time."

It was close to seven when Norma showed up on Alex's doorstep. She could see the gentle glow coming from the front window, the light humming of Dean Martin tempting her to peek inside. A familiar pain formed inside her as she watched Alex and that girl. Part of her knew nothing had changed since their last encounter in the driveway. But Norma couldn't fight the feeling that she would be holding Alex back if she walked inside that house. Alex had a bright future ahead of him…she didn't want to be the one to ruin him. So she left. Walked all the way to John's house trying to convince herself that this was the best thing to do. She only hoped she was right.


	13. Chapter 13

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 13: WITHOUT A WORD

"You know, Emily Dickinson was a very reclusive woman. Some people say she was depressed," Sally mentioned as Alex handed her report back.

Alex smiled politely, glancing down at his watch to check the time. It was 7:03. She was have been running late, but it wasn't really like Norma to be on time for things.

"That doesn't sound familiar?" Sally stated, stuffing her report back into her bag. Alex had almost forgotten she was there. He sort of wished he had.

His gaze lingered near the doorway, glancing every now and then to the darkness of the night sky peeking through the window. "Hmm?" Alex hummed, completely disregarding how rude he must have seemed.

She didn't seem to mind. Or at least she didn't notice. "A depressed recluse?" His eyes met hers, a look of confusion coming across his face. "Alex, I know your mother's death was very difficult but it's been close to four months. You need to start thinking about yourself."

A pained formed in his heart as her words sank in. "What?"

"You've been kind of distant lately. If you're depressed you need to tell someone so they can help you." Sally wasn't a bad person. She only ever thought about other people. But Alex didn't see it that way; his youth blinded him from the truth.

"I'm not depressed. And I'm not lonely. I'm actually waiting for someone. So I think it might be best that you leave." But she didn't move. She stood there staring at him in shock. So he got up and ushered her to the door, peering out into the distance as she made her way down the driveway.

Norma didn't show up that night. It took Alex a few days to realize that she had up and left. But the memory of that night would never leave him. He sat at the kitchen table for an hour, wrestling the little black box between his fingers. The Dean Martin record had begun to skip, and the candlelight began to fade. The darkness started to consume him as he sat waiting for her arrival. But she never came.

He thought maybe her parents had found out about the pregnancy and locked her up somewhere. But the better part of him knew that they didn't care whether she lived or died. Besides they were too drunk to even notice she was gone.

Nobody at school seemed to notice. But the truth became obvious when chatter of a missing John Massett began to surface. The thought that her life was in John's hands crushed Alex. A part of him knew at that moment…it wasn't going to end well. It never would.

They left as soon as Norma reached his house. John's parents didn't seem to notice the noise they made. They were probably asleep. Still a pain formed inside Norma as she watched John write his parents a goodbye letter. It bothered her that she'd never met them. But if she had she probably wouldn't be leaving with their son…she'd feel bad. It was already bad enough that she was trapping John with a child that wasn't his.

They rode in silence for a majority of the drive. There wasn't much to say. They were leaving the only town they had ever known. There was something both exciting and terrifying about the experience. Still Norma had drifted off after about an hour and half on the road. The stress of it all had tuckered her out. But the sudden rustling against the car door woke her. It took her a while to realize that they were on an abandoned dirt road, the only light shining half a mile in the distance.

"Look's like there's a motel down there," John told her as if she couldn't see it for herself. He pulled into the parking lot of the seemingly abandoned motel, killing the engine, and climbing out. He didn't bother to wait for her or even get her door for the matter. He went inside the motel office without her, leaving her to trail helplessly behind him.

It appeared to be a family-run business. At least that's what Norma assumed from the look of it. She grimaced as she stepped inside the office, immediately making eye contact with a stuffed owl. "This place is kind of creepy," she whispered, glancing about the room for the motel owner.

John ignored her apprehensions, leaning forward on the front desk to glance in the back room. "Well it's the only stop for the next ten miles. It's gonna have to do."

Norma rolled her eyes at him, folding her arms across her chest in defeat. The young couple jumped as a man appeared from the back room. "Sorry I was just finishing a book. We usually don't get visitors this late at night," the man stated, a welcoming smile following suit. "What can I do for you two tonight?"

"We just need a room for the night," John muttered.

The man's eyes flickered between the couple. "One room?"

An eerie feeling washed over Norma as she watched the man speak with John. But John didn't seem to notice as usual. "Yes."

"Two beds?" the man questioned, a slight annoyance appearing in his voice.

"A double bed is fine," John replied, filtering through his wallet for some cash.

"Do you have a phone I can use?" Norma piped up from behind her boyfriend.

The man smiled at her, pointing to the room behind him. "There's one in the back room that you can use."

Norma smiled back at him, shooting a glance to John before she left his side. "Thank you."

The phone was cold as she held it to her ear, dialing the numbers with her dominant hand. Her heart pounded as the phone rang. She felt bad leaving without a word. She needed to explain herself to Alex. Or at least hear his voice. He always knew how to make her feel calm. And calm was something she longed for deeply. But he didn't pick up. She couldn't blame him. It was close to midnight. Her heart sank as she thought of him sitting all alone waiting for her. She shook her head at herself, walking back out into the motel office. Alex had that other girl—he didn't need her.


	14. Chapter 14

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 14: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

A whole month had passed without her. Alex was beginning to think that he would never see or hear from her again. He started failing his classes within the first week, but he was lucky enough to have Sally to help him back on his feet. He started seeing a counselor half way through. His name was Dr. Shepard. Sally had referred him. He seemed like a nice guy—possibly just as misunderstood as Alex was.

It was towards the end of that month that Alex decided to finally make things official between he and Sally. He didn't know what he had been waiting for—there was no one for him to _wait_ for anymore. She was excited when he asked her. She nearly squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck and falling into him. It was one of the steps in coping with Alex's sudden feeling of abandonment. Sally was the stability he had searched for his whole life. He depended on her.

It was prom season now. Alex wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as everyone else. To him it was a waste of time and money. …It was. He stared at himself in the mirror as he tied his bowtie. If he was being completely honest, he was surprised he lasted this long. He often wondered how his mother had. But Dr. Shepard advised him not to think that way. The future was bright…only it didn't always seem that way.

He picked up a corsage from the florist on the way to Sally's house. She hadn't told him what color her dress was so white seemed like a safe choice. It was raining when he pulled up to her house. Alex cringed, glaring at the droplets of water streaming down his windshield and silently kicking himself for not bringing an umbrella. He nearly ran to the door, trying to catch his breath before ringing the doorbell.

A feeling of dread washed over him as he stood waiting. To his dismay, her father answered the door giving him a stern glare before cracking a smile. He seemed like a decent man. "So you're the Sheriff's boy," he chuckled, pulling Alex into a hug.

Alex just smiled politely, glancing behind him to search for Sally. She came around the corner, her bright blue dress simmering in the light. A pain formed inside Alex as he stared at the dress. The memory of Norma flooded back to him. The dress was the color of her eyes—the eyes that haunted him for years. "I got you a corsage," he muttered before his throat closed up. He shut his eyes, desperately trying to push back the tears that had risen. He didn't want to embarrass Sally in front of her father. He didn't want to look like a lunatic for crying, so he bit his tongue drawing blood.

She was by his side when he opened his eyes, the expression on her face laced with concern. "We should get going. I don't wanna be late." Alex simply nodded, slipping the corsage on her wrist before leading her to the door and waving goodbye to her father. She waited till they were half way there to speak up. Some sad part of her believed that if she upset him enough he'd leave—it wasn't entirely untrue. "Alex, what's wrong?"

Alex didn't bother to take his eyes off the road. He knew that if he looked at her he'd fall apart. "Nothing," he lied, grinding his teeth the way he always did when something was bothering him.

But she wasn't convinced. Alex wasn't a very good liar. "You seem upset. Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Not really," he muttered, his voice low and quivering. "Sorry."

She smiled lightly, her hand reaching for his thigh to comfort him. "I care about you a lot."

His eyes found hers as he mustered a smile. "I know."

Alex wished he hadn't gone to prom. He only went because he felt obligated to take Sally. He never wanted to dance. He sat like a bum at the table in the back. His eyes darting between couples on the dance floor until they finally landed on Bob and Sally. Bob had insisted on dancing with her since Alex refused to. He didn't mind at all; it was one less thing for him to worry about. His mind seemed to wander as Total Eclipse of the Heart played over the speakers. Norma surfaced in his thoughts. He wondered what she'd look like tonight. He knew she liked to make her own clothes; he couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she'd be. He would have danced if she was there—she would have forced him to, her weak frame pulling at him mightily. He would have held her in his arms a little tighter than before, his cheek gently brushing hers as the music swelled around them. He would have told her how much he loved her. And she would have known the truth.

They drove around for a while after the prom. The sight of the growing line of trees seemed to calm them as they drove down the highway towards the Sea Fairer. It seemed a little much, but Bob had insisted that it was the right thing to do. So Alex paid for a room for the night, grimacing at the haughty wink Mr. Summers offered him before handing over the key.

Sally didn't seem to mind at all. She threw herself down on the bed, sighing up at the ceiling. "Wasn't it beautiful?"

Alex glanced at her reflection in the mirror as he undid his cufflinks. "Wasn't what beautiful?"

"The prom." It was times like this that reminded Alex that she was only sixteen. She still held onto that dreamer's mentality.

Alex undid his tie and made his way over to the bed, throwing himself down beside her. They laid there in silence for a while. It always seemed to be like this; they were running out of things to say to each other.

"I had a good time," she told him after some time had passed.

He smiled simply, casting his gaze back to the smoke-stained ceiling. He hadn't taken his mind off Norma the entire night; he was surprised Sally had somehow enjoyed herself. Alex was a bit of a loser when it came to parties—he'd always had Norma to balance him out. But luckily Bob was there to step in when Sally needed him.

The feeling of weight pressing into his chest broke his daze. Sally had rested her head on him, her arms wrapping around his middle. "Don't you wish every night could be like this?"

Norma hadn't missed out on anything. She must have been showing by now anyway. He wondered if she was okay…if John was taking good care of her. She'd always taken care of herself; hopefully she'd let someone take care of her for once. He hoped she was comfortable and safe. She'd never been comfortable or safe her entire life. She deserved so much better. She deserved the world. He hoped she was happy. He hoped she knew how much he missed her.

"Alex?" Sally sat up, turning her body towards him. "What's wrong?"

He gazed back at her, desperately trying to disguise the fear coursing through him. "Nothing. I'm fine."

He knew he hadn't completely convinced her. But she seemed satisfied enough as she settled herself on top of him, her lips trying to remove the memories of the past. He spent the night with her that night. He foolishly thought he could forget the past through her. But every movement brought flashes of the past. The memory of Norma's face was burned into his mind. He could never forget.

It was still early in the morning when Alex had arrived home. He hadn't expected his father to be up—let alone find a woman sneaking out the front door. Alex watched her climb into her beat up convertible. He recognized her from the station…she was his father's secretary. Alex rolled his eyes at the cliché, stepping in the house to find his father passed out on the couch half-dressed.

The sound of the front door seemed to wake him. He grimaced as his eyes settled on his son and not the woman from the night before. "What?" he growled.

Alex shook his head, throwing his suit coat on the armchair beside him. "What was Sarah doing here?"

"Her name's Nancy." Her was Sarah. Alex used to talk to her while he waited for his father. She was too young to be fooling around with a widowed drunk; the thought of it made Alex sick. "It none of your business what I do anyway."

Alex made his way down the hall, stopping in the doorway of his bedroom and turning around. "You know, graduation is tomorrow. I'm leaving for the academy right after." But his father never replied. Alex sighed and shut the door behind him. He had packing to do.


	15. Chapter 15

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 15: THE ONE I DREAM OF

Of course his father hadn't show up for graduation the next morning. He didn't even bother to stop by before Alex left for Portland. Alex didn't mind in the least. The last thing he needed was a spectacle. He wasn't the only student there without a parent to support him—it only seemed odd because he was the Sheriff's son. Alex was glad when the ceremony was over. He was ready to leave White Pine Bay. He needed to get away from the place that had held him back for so long.

Bob and Sally were there to send him off. They seemed sad to see him go. Alex never would have pictured Bob Paris as his best friend, yet it here he was. There were tears starting to well in his eyes as he pulled Alex in for a hug. Sally wept freely, kissing Alex's cheek before finally allowing him to climb into the car. "I'll call as soon as can," Alex shouted over the roar of the engine. "I promise."

Norma and John had been living in a crowded motel room for two months. The heat of Phoenix had reached a maximum in the beginnings of July, and the motel didn't have air conditioning. Being five months pregnant didn't make anything easier. Fortunately John had left for the day, which meant Norma was free to roam the motel grounds by herself. It was in the motel office that she found herself some reading material other than the holy bible. Sweat began to drip down her face as she flipped through the yellow pages. She was looking for the number of the local pizza place when her eyes scanned over the number of the local police department. Her heart sank deep, her mind wandering to the friend she'd left behind. She'd be lying if she said she never thought about him. Hell, she thought about him nearly everyday. She had tried calling his house, but no one ever answered. He had probably already left for the academy…if he actually decided to go. But now it felt like she had lost him forever.

Norma sighed, shutting the book and making her way back to her room. It was there that she spotted the list of phone numbers John kept beside the bed. At the top of the list were his parents along with other various family members John called to check in with regularly. But of course he kept the numbers of a few of his close friends from back home. John wasn't the type to just cut ties with anyone. He had people who actually cared about him.

Christine Heldens was the first friend listed below his family. She was on the cheer squad and head of the drama club. Norma rolled her eyes at the thought of having to call one of "them" to reach her best friend, but she did. Christine seemed confused when she answered the phone. Norma wasn't exactly as invisible but towards the end of her high school career many people had began to refer to her as whatsherface. The conversation hadn't lasted long after Norma revealed that she was whatsherface the girl who kidnapped the football team's best player. Christine was happy to oblige with her request, promptly reciting to her the number of Bob Paris and hanging up.

But Norma's anxiety wouldn't ease. Calling Bob was more stressful than calling Christine. Norma never trusted Bob. He was always after something. "Norma? Alex's old friend?" Bob questioned despite the fact he knew exactly who she was. "What can I do for you?"

Norma bit her fingernails, desperately trying to ease her nerves. "I need the number of the Portland Police Academy."

Bob laughed haughtily. "The one our little Alex goes to?"

She could have strangled him. "Yes."

"Well, why would I give you that?"

She could feel tears started to well in her eyes as she felt her memory of Alex beginning to slip away. "Bob, please. I really need to talk to Alex."

There was a long pause. "What do I get out of this?" And there it was.

But Norma didn't have the patience for Bob's little game. "Just forget it."

"No, no. I was just kidding. I'll give it to you. Just give me a minute, all right?" It was the first time Bob had ever done something without receiving something first. It shocked Norma when she discovered that he had indeed given her the number of the police academy to which Alex was enrolled.

Alex was surprised when they told him there was phone call waiting for him in the main office. The only phone calls they were allowed to receive were from family members or the annoying, pestering girlfriends who couldn't go five minutes without hearing their boyfriend's voice. Alex laughed a little at the thought, picking up the phone without a hello. "I'm really glad you called. You're not still mad at me for leaving, are you, Sal?"

Norma's heart sank, every instinct screaming at her to hang up the phone. "Alex?" she muttered helplessly. She could feel her throat beginning to close up as the emotions from months ago poured back into memory. There was a silence on the other side of the line. She panicked. "Please don't hang up. I'm sorry—I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I just need to hear your voice. Please."

With as much pain as she caused him, he still didn't have the nerve to hurt her back. "What do you want, Norma?" The numbness was rising to the surface. His months of work in therapy had gone to pieces the moment she uttered his name.

"I miss you," she told him.

The corner of his mouth quivered into a smile. "Well, I miss you too." There were so many questions circling his mind he could barely think straight. "You missed graduation."

A pain formed inside her. "I missed a lot of things." The guilt she felt for leaving him behind would never leave her.

Alex glanced about the room, leaning closer into the phone. "Where are you?"

The concern in his voice wrapped itself around her, suffocating her. "We're in Phoenix, Arizona—John and me. We've been staying in a motel for the past few months. So you're with that girl?"

He knew what she was doing. He wouldn't stand to be avoided, not when she was the one who contacted him. "Yeah. How are you? How's the baby?"

"We're fine," she breathed uncomfortably, desperately trying to change the subject back to him. "Police academy, huh?"

Alex laughed bitterly. "Yeah, well, I didn't really have a choice after you left. There was nothing keeping me there."

"What about her?"

Alex closed his eyes, breathing hard and shaking his head. "Don't. I don't want to talk about her."

"Good. I don't want to talk about John, or the baby, or why I left." The stress of the phone call was beginning to prove too much, but she wouldn't be the one to leave first…not this time.

The sound of her breathing pained him. "Okay."

"Okay," she muttered back. "I miss you."

Alex sighed, sinking into the chair beside the phone. "You already said that."

Her gaze fell to the roundness of her belly as she leaned against the head of the bed. "I know. I just wanted you to know I meant it."


	16. Chapter 16

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 16: WE LEFT BEHIND

It was only a few days after his phone call with Norma that Alex realized it was time to break things off with Sally. He felt like a jerk for doing so over the phone. But he didn't really have a choice. It was either call or write; and Alex wasn't the type of guy to pour his heart out in a letter. A phone call seemed best—quick and easy. Or so he thought. They were on the phone for what seemed like hours, bickering back and forth about the meaning of it all until finally Alex broke down and told her the truth, which was that he didn't love her. He never did and never would. With that she hung up, and he never heard from her again.

Nothing seemed to have changed in the few years Alex had been away at school. The cool kids were now the rich folk. His father was still the head of the shadiest business in town. But things were looking up. An undercover officer looking to put away the leading players in the drug business recruited Alex. It seemed odd joining the force that his father was a part of…even if it was to take him down. The town smiled at the thought of Alex following in his father's footsteps, hoping he'd end up one of the good guys. They looked to him for protection. And for the first time Alex felt needed.

"I'm moving back to White Pine Bay," he told Norma during one of their monthly phone calls. "I got offered a job at the sheriff's department."

"You're going to work for your dad?" Norma chided, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder while she made her four-year-old lunch.

"It's a long story. I'm just glad to be heading back. The big city is just too much for me." Alex did fail to mention that he wouldn't be coming back alone. Two months ago he met a blonde named Elizabeth and they'd been seeing each other ever since. "How's Dylan?"

Norma smiled, glancing back at the child that sat coloring at the kitchen table. "He's doing good. We're in a very good mood today."

Alex smiled at the thought of them. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Did you want to talk to him?"

"Of course," he laughed, settling himself into the chair beside the pay phone.

"Just a second," Norma murmured, shuffling over to the table to hand the child the phone. "Dylan, Mr. Alex would like to talk to you." The boy smiled up at her, gladly accepting the phone.

"Hey, buddy," Alex greeted after a moment of silence.

"Hi," the young boy answered with a giggle.

Alex was grateful that Norma cared enough to allow him to be a part of Dylan's life. She often sent Alex pictures of her and her son. That meant everything to him. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Coloring." Norma smiled watching her son try to multitask.

"Did you get the model car I sent you?" Alex asked the boy.

"Yea," Dylan smiled sweetly. Alex imagined himself as a sort of hero in Dylan's eyes. They'd never met face to face. The only stories Dylan ever heard of Alex was how he was out to save the world.

"Romero, they need you down at the gun range," a voice called from afar.

Alex sighed, getting up from his seat. "All right. I gotta go, little buddy. You take good care of your mom for me."

"Okay," the boy stated unaffected by the abrupt goodbye.

Alex often thought about making a surprise visit to Phoenix just to see the two of them. But he couldn't ever actually bring himself to do it. "Promise?"

The boy laughed, sealing the deal. "Yeah."

Things with John weren't as bad as everyone had expected them to be. Sure, Norma and John didn't always get along, but living with John seemed like a privilege compared to living under the reign of Caleb. They had gotten married a month or two before Dylan was born; they both agreed it seemed like the best thing to do.

By the time Dylan was a year old, John had gotten a steady job working as a mechanic. He was then able to afford a small apartment for his family. But as Dylan got older John started to notice just how little his son resembled him. He never said anything about it though. It would forever remain the elephant at the dinner table, lurking in the shadows of Norma's darkness.

But Norma could never forget the origin of her first born. Everything about her child reminded her of her brother. His laugh, his smile, his eyes—she was constantly caught between a loving memory and a nightmare from a few years before. There was no escaping the truth. She did send photographs of her and her son to Caleb—she did love him. But when he tried to contact her, she stopped. It was all too much.

She often wondered what life would have been like if she hadn't left with John that night. She's probably be married to Alex. The thought always makes her smile. She can't help but imagine what Alex would be like as a father. He was so excited when she called him to tell him that Dylan was born a healthy baby boy. He even sent her diapers and small amounts of money to try to help out in whatever way he could. Leaving him behind was her biggest regret.

The road back to White Pine Bay was a long one. Alex sighed, glancing over at his passenger. "I'm really glad you're coming back home with me," he told her.

She smiled, sliding on her sunglasses. "What are girlfriend's for?"

Everything happened in an instant with Beth. They'd only known each other for a short while, but they couldn't deny the attraction between them. "It feels weird coming back after so many years. Especially when there's nothing really go back to," Alex admitted, a hint of sadness in his voice. His girlfriend kept her eyes fastened to the growing line of trees. She didn't know anything about his past. She didn't know about his mother or Norma—the only thing she did know was that his father was the sheriff. "I rented us a small place along the lake. I think you'll like it."

"You need to relax," Beth stated, leaning back in her chair and shutting her eyes.

"I know, I know. I'm just…nervous." He wasn't nervous about going back. He was nervous about coming back with her. Alex had never lived with a woman. He barely even knew the woman he was going to be living with.

"Don't be," she droned.

It was about a week after they had moved in that she had brought it up. They had sat down to dinner just after Alex had come home from work. He wasn't expecting anything other than some lukewarm spaghetti.

"We should get married," she suggested, twirling her pasta with her fork.

She blindsided him. Alex nearly choked. "What?"

"We should get married," she repeated after a calculated bite.

Alex stared at her in confusion, not knowing whether to laugh at her joke or run from the reality of it all. "We've only been together for two months."

"So?" He felt like a caged animal watching her wait for his response. But she hardly gave him enough time to answer—as always. "I just left my family to be with you."

Alex cringed. "Portland's only a few hours away."

"Alex," she mused, giving him her best puppy dog eyes. "But I love you."

John was always a distant, but lately he'd seemed more so. Norma had taken Dylan to the grocery store because John would be working late. And for a reward for behaving Norma fulfilled her promise to take her son to the toy store afterwards. They were walking down the street back to her car when she spotted a familiar face in a restaurant window. Her heart sank as she clutched the hand of her son. She felt faint. Surely what she saw was nothing. But all evidence seemed to point to an affair; especially now that John was rarely ever at home.

She rushed on home, locking the door behind her and fighting back tears as she got Dylan ready for bed. After he was all settled, she dialed the number left on a sheet paper by the phone.

"Hello," a groggy voice answered.

"Alex?" Norma greeted. "It's eight o'clock and you're already in bed? What are you eighty?"

Alex rubbed his eyes, sitting up on the couch. "I've been working odd hours all week. What do you want?"

"Is now a bad time?" she asked, her voice faltering a bit.

He couldn't tell if something was wrong or if she was trying not to wake someone up. "No. I had to get up anyway."

She nodded even though he couldn't see her. "So you made it back?"

"Yeah. The sheriff's department threw me a welcome home party," he laughed, remembering the awkwardness of his father's crew. "It was pretty shitty. You're not missing much."

She smiled thinking of him. "I bet."

He was silent for a while, his heart starting to ache from his growing confession. "There's something I gotta tell you," he mumbled hesitantly. "I got married." There was a slight sniffle on the other line, and he thought for a second that the news had upset her but he quickly threw the thought away—it was probably allergies.

"What?" she whispered uncertainly. She wasn't exactly sure that she'd heard him correctly.

"She's the sister of one of my buddies from the academy. Her name's Beth." There was a pause, and for a moment he thought she'd hung up.

"Oh," she let out. "How long have you been seeing each other?"

Alex sighed, knowing what was about to come. "A little over two months."

"Two months? Alex," she scolded.

"I know. It's quick," he told her, running a hand through his disheveled hair.

"Is she?"

"No," he grumbled, holding back the need to point out her reason for marriage. "I just really like her."

This threw her off a bit. She always thought that she'd be Alex's first wife—or that, sadly, no one would marry him. The thought of him as someone else's husband forced her to examine her feelings towards Alex. Maybe there was more than just friendship between them. "Oh."

Alex shot off the couch, checking the time. "Listen, I gotta head to the station. I'm on patrol duty for the night and I'm running late. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

She couldn't hide the sob that now pulled at her throat, so she hung up the phone and collapsed against the wall. Her head in her hands as the tears now flowed freely down her cheeks.

"Mommy?" Dylan called from his bedroom doorway. "Why are you crying?"


	17. Chapter 17

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 17: SHOULD'VE KNOWN

It was a Thursday when John was finally home at night. Norma had finished tucking Dylan in after deciding she was going to take the night for herself. She walked out into the living room where her husband sat, the bright lights reflecting on his face from the TV—his eyes beginning to glaze over. "I'm going out," she told him, not that he heard her anyhow.

She sought her refuge in a bar she discovered during one of her trips to the grocery store. It seemed like a perfect enough place to lose herself…little did she know she'd get more than she bargained for.

She sat down at the bar, ordering herself a drink, when a man only a little older than her laid his arm against the countertop—leaning to get a better view of her. "You seem sad," he mentioned lightly.

She snorted, choking back her drink. "Yeah? You tell that to all the ladies?"

The man's grin grew wide as he stole the seat beside. "No, only to the ones who are brave enough to sit at the bar by themselves."

There was something about this man that drew her in—but maybe it was just the alcohol. "I'm married," she mentioned regretfully.

But this didn't scare him away. He only leaned in closer, placing a hand on her exposed knee to test the waters. "I'm Sam." His boldness surprised her. She'd never met a man like him. His blue eyes pulled her deep into oblivion. "You gonna tell me your name? Or are you just gonna keep checking me out?"

She smiled, her shyness coming through despite herself. "Norma." She wasn't sure of her decision to come here, but meeting him seemed to solidify it as the right choice.

"Like Marilyn Monroe," he chuckled to himself. "I like it. It suits you."

She took another sip of her drink. It had been a while since a man had taken the time to flirt with her. She was enjoying this more than she knew she should.

"So what's a married woman like you doing here alone so late at night? Your husband even know you're here?" he asked, before ordering himself another beer.

"I'm here because I want to be here. It's not like he cares anyway," she let out, downing the last of her drink. "You got a wife…Sam?"

He smiled at her, appreciating how straightforward she appeared to be with him. "No, I'm not married. I've been waiting for the right woman." She didn't gasp when his hand slid up her thigh, gliding gracefully beneath the skirt of her dress. "You know, you're a very beautiful woman, Norma. It's a shame your husband doesn't pay more attention to you."

Alex had been back in White Pine Bay for almost two and a half weeks and he still had yet to unpack a majority of his things. His wife had been nagging him about it at every meal—so he stopped coming home for dinner. It was his day off when he finally got around to doing all that his wife had asked. To his dismay, she was there to help him.

"Alex," she yelled from the other room.

He rolled his eyes, hanging some dress shirts in the closet. "What?"

"What are these?" she asked, as she reached the doorway.

He glanced down at the papers in her hands, shrugging and going back to his task. "What are they?"

She glared at him, expecting him to know exactly what she was talking about—as always. "They're letters…from Norma. Alex, are you having an affair?"

"We've been married for a week. I've hardly had enough time to breathe let alone find another woman." It came out a little harshly than he hoped. He cringed, reaching for papers. "They're from an old friend," he assured her. "And I'd appreciate if you didn't go through my shit."

"I wasn't going through your things. You left them on the desk in plain sight," she professed, moving aside as he pushed past her. He didn't expect her to follow after him after he'd left the room, but he obviously didn't know her that well. "So we're not going to talk about this?"

"What's to talk about, Beth? I kept letters from an old friend. It's not a big deal." It was times like these that Alex was beginning to realize the terrible mistake he'd made. He could barely sit in the same room as her without feeling a deep hatred and regret.

She never knew when to stop. That was her biggest flaw. Maybe deep down she, too, realized the mistake they'd made, Alex thought. Maybe she was just too afraid to give up—to be alone again. "Then why do you keep them? If this woman means nothing to—"

Alex laughed haughtily, continuing to unpack as if she wasn't there. He could feel the heat rising in him as he placed some frames on the desk in front of him. "I didn't know keeping letters from another woman was a crime. I'll turn myself in in the morning if it'll make you feel better," he articulated, finding laying his eyes on her. She had already reached the door before he could think to stop her—not that he would have anyway.

He reached into the box beside him. It contained the things he had taken after his mother's funeral. He pulled out her picture and placed it on her piano top, smiling back at her. He reached back into the box and pulled out her scarf, sighing as he remembered the smell of her. The smell of lilies and oregano always seemed to soothe him. His heart sank as his eyes fell upon the little black box at the bottom of his mother's belongings.

He was glad Beth had left. Partly because he didn't want her to see his mother's ring and wonder why he hadn't given it to her, and partly because tears began to well in his eyes as he remembered the night Norma left. The worry he'd felt that night began to resurface, and he wasn't sure if he could handle anyone else anymore. He left the rest of the boxes packed and headed to bed…his wife would just have to deal with it for the time being.

Norma woke up in a strange, dark room, which she later discovered was the bedroom of Sam Bates. She sighed collecting her clothes off the floor, desperately trying not to wake the man that lay sprawled across the bed in all his naked glory. She made her way over to the mirror, smoothing down her disheveled hair, nearly jumping as the man she thought was asleep sat up. "You're awake," he announced with a yawn.

"Yeah," she stuttered nervously, beginning to slip on her dress. "I have to get home to my son."

Sam furrowed his brow, swinging his legs over the edge of his bed to search for his boxers. "You never mentioned you have a son."

Norma breathed uneasily, her hands beginning to shake as she finishing dressing. "Well, I do. He's gonna be worried if I'm not home."

After she'd gathered her things, Sam walked her to the door, hesitating before opening the door completely. "Can I call you?"

Norma felt a bit uneasy. She assumed it was the hangover that was now growing with intensity. But there was something enticing about this man. He made her feel wanted. "I don't know if that's such a good idea."

He kept one hand on the door, reaching with the other as she began to step into the hall of his apartment building. "Come on. I felt something here. This wasn't just nothing to me. It's not like your husband actually cares about you." Norma sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was witnessing they're exchange. He'd had a point. John rarely looked at her these days. She deserved to feel loved…wanted. "Give me a chance."

When Norma came home, John was already up. He knew exactly where she'd been last night. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together. "I think we should get a divorce," he told her as she stepped inside their bedroom. "I know Dylan's not my son. I already called a lawyer. I left some money on the table for you to pay for a motel. I'll give you till tomorrow to have your stuff out of my place." After that, he left. She didn't see him from the rest of the day so she assumed he wasn't coming back. She sighed to herself, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Maybe it was for the best.


	18. Chapter 18

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 18: CARRY ON

Within a week Norma and Dylan had become accustomed to the motel life, but money was running low. Norma had yet to find a job—or a place to watch Dylan while she went to said job. She sighed, feeding her son the last of the applesauce she had stocked in the mini fridge. She had been seeing that guy, Sam, on and off since she met him. He seemed nice. He even offered to take Norma and Dylan in when she mentioned her husband had kicked her out of the apartment. Maybe this was her chance to start over. Still, she was a little apprehensive about moving in with a man she'd known for just a week. She had a son to take care of…but then again living out of a motel room didn't seem like the best option for her son anyway.

"Come home," Alex told her during their weekly phone call.

"How? I don't have a car. I don't even have enough money to pay for a bus ticket." She often wondered how her life had turned out this way. She considered herself a generally good person but for some reason chaos seemed to surround. She couldn't stop the tide from pulling her in.

"I'll come down and get you." He wasn't going to take no for an answer. He'd had enough of men altering her course in life for the worse.

"Your wife will worry about you," she conceded, glancing over at her son who sat content playing with the model car Alex had sent.

Alex laughed haughtily, throwing his uniform into the growing heap of dirty laundry on the bedroom floor. He'd purposely begun to do things to annoy his wife. Leaving the toilet seat up and dirty clothes piles were just a few of the many things that annoyed his young bride. Part of him was proud of himself, but the other half knew it was wrong of him to act like such a jerk. "I'm beginning to feel like I've made a terrible mistake," he mumbled into the phone after some time.

Norma's heart sunk a little when his words finally registered. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't love my wife," he admitted aloud. "She's actually kind of annoying."

She tried to hide the smirk forming on her face despite the fact that he couldn't see her. "Oh," she managed to choke out. "Did you tell her that?"

"No. I've just been leaving a mess all of the house and hoping she gets the message."

"Alex," she chided.

He could feel the eye roll. He hated when he knew she was right. "What? I don't want to hurt her feelings."

She scoffed, flopping down on the bed. "Because acting like an asshole is better? Why don't use just file for a divorce?"

Alex sighed and began to unpack the last box of clothes. "She moved here from Portland to be with me."

"It's only a few hours away. It's not like she moved to a whole other state," she noted peevishly. They could both feel a change in the room after that. An uncomfortable tension set in.

"Yeah," Alex let out, combing his fingers through his hair. The sound of a car door shutting penetrated the silence, startling him a bit. He got up and glanced at the window to find his wife making her way up the driveway. "Look, I've gotta go. Beth just pulled up. I sent you some money. It should get you through the next week or two. I'll call you later, okay?"

"Alex," Beth called out.

"I'm in the bedroom," he yelled back, throwing the phone on the bed to continue stuffing his shirts into the drawers of the dresser.

It didn't take long for her to get to the doorway, or for her to scold him on leaving his clothes all over the bedroom floor. "I thought I asked you to pick these up," she complained, picking up a plaid flannel and watching as a small box fell from the pocket. They were both silent for a moment until she picked it up, her eyes glancing to meet his as she opened it. A grin began to creep across her face. It was the first time he'd seen her smile in a long time.

"It's not for you," he muttered before he could think better of it.

The smile fell from her face as she furrowed her brow. "Well, who else would it be for?"

Alex closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His worst fear was coming to the surface. "That's not what I meant," he assured her. "I don't want you to have it."

But Alex never really was good with words…or with women. She slammed the box shut and threw it at him, storming out of the house for the night.

After a horrible six months, she finally left him. He wasn't at all surprised when he found the divorce papers lying on the kitchen table along with her key to the house. In a way, he was glad she'd left. It wasn't fair to her when he knew he could never completely love her. Besides it meant he was now free to make a trip down to Phoenix without feeling guilty about it.

He was a little shocked when Norma told him she'd moved in with a man. He wasn't completely surprised because what man wouldn't want to be with her. Still, Alex wasn't too sure how he felt about some random guy taking in Norma and her son. He knew they needed a better place to stay and someone to support them, but he couldn't help but fear the worst.

Things had been picking up at work. The team was finally starting to zero in on the sheriff and his dealing in the drug trade. It was when Alex discovered Bob's involvement that he decided it was a good idea to take a few days off for a trip to Phoenix.

He didn't know what to say when his former friend's name popped up on the list of his father's accomplices. He wanted to call Bob—to assure himself of his friend's innocence—but deep down he knew the truth. Over the past six months that Alex had been back, he began to see the difference in Bob. He saw the way Bob treated the women at his "hunting" club. Bob had become a new man the second he signed the deed for the Arcanum Club.

The saddest part was that Bob expected Alex to conform to his ways. He even invited him to his "parties". Of course, Alex went the first time he was invited. He didn't expect anything other than a mild social gathering…he was mistaken. But Bob was relentless with his party invites. He wanted Alex to join his side; Alex always declined. He wasn't that kind of guy. So he requested his vacation days and packed up the car to head to Arizona.


	19. Chapter 19

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 19: UNEXPECTED AND UNKNOWN

The past few months with Sam had been fairly decent. Norma couldn't hide her surprise as she woke up beside him each morning. For once in her life something was finally going right. Her chance for a new beginning had finally arrived, and she loved it. It was some time during their second month together that Norma realized she might actually be falling for this man.

Sure, he wasn't the best father to her son. But it wasn't like he was actually Dylan's father—and they'd only been together a few months. She couldn't expect him to love her son as much as a father would.

Alex didn't seem too happy when she mentioned she'd moved in with Sam. He told her that she wasn't thinking straight. That she was blinded by the chance for a man to take care of her. And maybe he was right. But she deserved to be taken care of after what she'd been through. She expected Alex to understand that.

Still Norma began to worry when she'd missed her period in their fourth month together. It seemed a little too soon to start a family—they weren't even married. She sighed, as she glanced down at the plus sign on the pregnancy test. She was already in a rut with one child to support. She didn't expect Sam to take kindly to the news of another mouth to feed, especially when she wasn't making any contribution to the household whatsoever.

But she had somehow convinced herself that he'd be excited about their news—that maybe he was just as in love with her as she thought she was with him. So it came as a shock when he didn't react well to her news. She could see the terror in her son's eyes as he listened to the words of his mother's new boyfriend.

And that was the first time that it had happened. John had gotten mad at Norma plenty of times, but he never once laid a hand on her. She can still remember the sound of her four-year-old's screams as he watched his mother writhe in pain after the beating she'd received from their sole supporter.

To everyone they knew, Sam was the ideal man. Hardworking, loving, supportive…the list went on. Norma cringed when the women at the market told her how lucky she was to be with a man like Sam. But she kept up the guise the best she could. After all she had two children to think of now and no means of support other than Sam.

She never told Alex about any of it. She was already a month and a half pregnant and he had no idea. That's why it was a bit of a shock when he called asking for her address.

Alex pulled into the driveway of the suburban Arizona house and glanced down at the piece of paper he'd quickly and nervously scribbled the address on. His heart beat a little faster as he reached the door, knocking a little more sternly than he would have wanted.

He smiled back as she pushed to curtain aside to check the visitor. "Hi," she let out as she opened the door. She laughed a little still in shock at seeing him so grown up. "I'm sorry. I just expected to see the nerdy wimp I used to know."

Alex rolled his eyes at her, his smile growing every second of being in her presence. "Yeah. Well, the academy kind of beat that outta me. I'm a new man now."

She just stared at him still in awe of the new person in front of her. She shook her head, trying to shake the thoughts from her mind as she suddenly reminded she should invite him in. "Come in."

Alex stepped inside the house, gazing about and searching for the real reason he'd came. "Where's Dylan?"

Norma smiled as she closed the door behind him. "He's in bed napping. Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have cleaned up the place a bit."

Alex gave her a chiding look. "The place looks perfect, Norma. I don't know what you're talking about." She was staring again. She'd never looked at him this way before. There was something in her eyes that made his heart beat faster.

But she caught herself before he had the chance to mock her for it. "God. I'm sorry. You just look so…" She didn't know why the word handsome was coming to mind—he'd always been rather handsome. But this was…"different. Do you want a cup of coffee? Do you drink coffee now?"

Alex chuckled as he followed after her into the kitchen. "Yes. I'm a cop now. It's part of the job requirements."

She tried to calm her nerves, pouring his cup and breathing deeply. "Cream and sugar?

He couldn't help but be surprised at how grown up she was living in her own house—well, her boyfriend's house. She seemed to have made a nice life for herself. "Just sugar. I like it black."

She snorted, stirring his cup before handing it to him and taking the seat beside him at the table. "Ah, so you're a tough guy now."

He took a tip, nearly choking. "What?"

She leaned back in her chair. "Only tough guys drink it black."

He smiled at her. "Is that so?"

"Mhm," she hummed, rolling up the sleeves of her cardigan.

He studied her for a while. But finally the thought began to register. It was eighty-two degrees outside and she had chosen to wear a sweater. It wasn't that cold in the house. She didn't seem to mind his blatant observation of her. She assumed it was from not having seen each other in four years—and she had done the same to him.

"Having you been working out?" she asked without thinking.

"Huh?" She'd caught him off guard.

"I, uh," she stuttered nervously. "I didn't—"

He smiled, watching her squirm for a bit. "I have. Gotta be in shape to catch the bad guys, you know."

She was about to mutter something back when a sound came from down the hall. Dylan wandered into the kitchen, rubbing his tired eyes. "Mommy?"

Alex's heart warmed at the sight of the boy. He looked just like his mother. "Hey, Buddy," Alex greeted him from his seat.

The boy blinked at him, his mind registering the voice but not placing the face. He looked to his mother who motioned for him to come closer so she could whisper in his ear. "Mr. Alex?"

"Yeah, that's me," Alex laughed. "It's nice to finally meet you."

Norma extended her arm, playing with her son's hair and turning to smile at Alex. He smiled back, his eyes glancing between them until a slight shade of purple coming from her arm caught his eye. It was a line of bruises from a hand no doubt. He swallowed hard, fighting to keep the smile on his face.

"Dylan, why don't you go get the model car we put together and show Mr. Alex?" Norma stated, kissing her son's cheek. She laughed as her son hurried excitedly out of the room in search of his car.

"How's Sam?" Alex asked, testing her reaction.

The smile fell from her face. She'd forgotten about him. "Fine."

"Did he give you those bruises?" he asked more sternly.

She glanced down, quickly pulling on her sleeves. "No. It was an accident."

His heart ached for her. He knew something was up. He was never wrong about these things. "I don't see how someone can accidentally leave bruises like that."

"He didn't mean it, Alex. It's fine. Please, let's just drop it, okay." He'd seen it all before with his mother. This was phase one. Denial.

He glared at her. "If you think I'm gonna let another shithead like Caleb fuck up your life, you're wrong."

She cringed, glancing at the doorway to check if her son had come back. "Alex—"

"No, Norma. Go pack your things. I'm taking you home." She had never seen this side of him. He'd never been so demanding. Part of her was frightened by it.

"Alex, I can't just leave," she defended bravely.

He had to fight the urge to throw her over his shoulder and drag her out of the house himself. "Why not?"

Her throat began to close. She had gotten in the same situation as before. She could never escape herself. "Because…"

"Because why?"

"Because I'm pregnant," she cried, his eyes burning into her soul.

His heart sank deep within him as a sense of nausea began to rise. "I don't care," he whispered softly, reaching for her hands across the table.

But the front door opened before he could touch her, startling them both. "Norma," Sam called from the door. "Dinner better be ready."

Alex glanced across the table at her before standing up to greet her new boyfriend.

Sam stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, his eyes studying Alex. "Why didn't you tell me we had a visitor, dear?"

Alex observed him as well. Norma could definitely do better this guy. Alex could sense a dirtbag from a mile away. "Alex Romero. I'm an old friend of Norma's," he stated, sticking out his hand to be polite.

Dylan ran back in, stopping dead at the sight of the man. He glanced at Alex unsure of the connection between the men.

"Is that the car you wanted to show me?" Alex asked, kneeling down to the child's height.

The boy approached him hesitantly. His entire demeanor had changed at the knowledge of the man's arrival. All of the sudden Alex saw himself in the boy's eyes. A boy who desperately wants to protect his mother from the man she loves, but can't because he lacks the means to do so. "A 1970s Mercedes. That's very vintage," Alex muttered. But the boy wouldn't speak to anyone in the man's presence—Alex understood.

"I didn't start dinner," Norma muttered weakly from behind the scene.

"That's okay, dear. We can all just go out to dinner. It's about time I've taken you to some place nice. It'll be just the three of us," Sam announced, his eyes daring Alex to challenge him.

"But what about Alex," Norma mentioned hesitantly.

"It's fine. I'm gonna check in at the motel down the street. I'll come by tomorrow," Alex assured her, trying to convince himself that this was the best option for now. He couldn't exactly just kidnap them both against their will. And he didn't really want an argument with Norma or a physical confrontation with Sam. But as he moved for the door, a tiny hand stopped him. And the pleading blue eyes staring up at him nearly tore him apart. "I'll be back tomorrow, buddy."

Blindly Norma thought that Sam had actually meant what he said. She should've known it was all just a ploy to get Alex to leave. But the new bruises and bumps on her face was just proof of what she actually was…an idiot. She hated herself so much sometimes. But she hated herself even more for putting her son in these situations.

They hadn't eaten dinner at all that night. After Alex had left, Dylan went and hid under his bed because he was smart enough to know by now what was about to ensue.

Norma could only pray that her son didn't hear all that had happened to her that night. He was already traumatized enough as it was. But feeling of knowing that Alex was around soothed her. Especially now that she knew that he could probably take Sam in a fight. She couldn't believe how much he'd changed. He'd gone from the scrawny boy next door to a very attractive man.

She crept out of bed once she heard Sam begin to snore and thumbed through the yellow pages until she found the number of the motel Alex was staying at.

"Hello?" Alex asked groggily.

"It's me," she whispered. "Can you come get me and Dylan? I'll have everything pack by the time you get here."

He nearly shot out of bed at the sound of her voice, stumbling to put on his pants. "I'll be there in eight minutes."

He was there in exactly seven minutes. He ran a couple of lights but he was a cop—he did what he wanted. He didn't bother killing the engine when he pulled up to the house. He didn't want that to be the thing to wake Sam up.

The lights shining through the window made her nerves calm down a bit. She opened the door for Alex, smiling as he stepped inside. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he answered back, helping her load some things into the car.

"Dylan's still in the house. I didn't want to wake him," Norma told him as they placed the last suitcase in the trunk.

"I'll go get him. You just wait in the car, all right?" Alex stated, walking back into the house without an answer. The problem was that he didn't know which room to go to. But the sound of Sam's snores only angered him. He wanted to smother him in his sleep as he glanced inside the bedroom in search of the boy. To Alex, he was just another man like his father that got to keep living his life while the women they'd hurt suffered for eternity.

Dylan's room was the last door on the left. Alex sighed as he viewed the boy sleeping peacefully in his bed. He tugged a little at the blankets, wrapping them around the boy before carrying him out of the house and into the car.

Norma glanced at Alex as he shut the driver's door and pulled away from the house. "What now?"


	20. Chapter 20

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 20: DOWNTOWN

They drove through the night until they came to a motel off the highway somewhere in southern California. "I think we should rest here for the night. It's going to take a couple of days to get to White Pine Bay." Alex turned to his passengers and sighed, noticing that they both were sound asleep. "I'll be right back."

He checked the clock and glanced at the light peering through the office window. It was three o'clock in the morning and they appeared to be open. It seemed a bit suspicious, but Alex didn't want to run the risk of getting in an accident with Norma and her son in the car.

"Are you still open?" Alex asked the desk attendant as he shut the door behind him.

The man jumped, peering up from his book. "Yes. How can I help you?"

"I need a room for the night." Alex thumbed through his wallet, studying the book the man had set aside on the counter.

"Is it just you?" It was Stephen King's _The Shining_.

"No. My wife and son are in the car." He nodded towards the window, handing the man his credit card.

The older man stared back at him, casting a curious look. Alex was twenty-two. He knew the man must have found it odd that he had a family. But it was safer to claim them as his own in case someone came looking for them. "Room 4."

They seemed so peaceful sleeping snug on the seats of his car. He didn't really want to wake them up, but it would be nearly impossible to try and lift Norma out of the car safely. "Hey," he whispered softly, shaking her by the shoulder.

She scrunched her nose in response, snuggling deeper into the passenger seat. "What?"

"I figured we'd stop for the night." She wasn't budging. He knew she must be exhausted after the events of the evening, but she'd sleep better in a bed rather than the front seat of his car. "You need to get up. We're at a motel. You can't sleep here all night."

She huffed, unbuckling her seatbelt and stretching her limbs as she climbed out of the passenger side. "Fine."

Alex handed her the key and opened the backdoor to grab Dylan. He looked a lot like his mother, but the bits of Caleb in his face made Alex a little uneasy. He carried him through the door of their room and gently laid him on the bed. "I can sleep on the floor," Alex stated after he heard the door shut behind them.

She furrowed her brow, crossing to her side of the bed. "We've slept in the same bed before. Why would it matter now?"

He couldn't think of a good excuse. "Dylan—"

"He won't mind. He's asleep anyway," she told him. She played with her son's hair as he burrowed into her side. "Besides…he trusts you."

Alex smiled at the sight, slipping off his boots before climbing in beside them. "Thanks."

It seemed like just yesterday she had left without a word. But now here they were together again, sharing bed like they used to on the nights things got too hard to handle alone.

"Alex," she murmured after some time.

"Yeah?" he muttered back, eyes still closed.

"What am I going to do now?" The helplessness in her voice worried him. He often wondered if she'd fall down the path his mother had.

He opened his eyes to find her looking at him, her eyes that gentle shade of blue. "You're going to stay with me. And I'm going to take care of everything. Now go to sleep we have a long day ahead of us."

They stopped at a diner for breakfast before hitting the road. Norma scooted warily into the booth, glancing at Alex. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

He could only imagine how she must be feeling. She'd only ever gotten up the courage to leave once—and that left her in a messier situation than before. "It'll be okay." He cringed as she held the bruised side of her face, shielding the tint of blue peeking from underneath her makeup. "No one will know. You can't even tell."

They smiled as the waitress came to take their order. They were good at pretending things were fine, especially when they weren't. "How long has this been going on?" Alex asked once they were alone.

Her eyes fell to the tabletop as she twiddled her thumbs. "A few months."

His heart sank deep into the pit of his stomach. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She scoffed. "It's not exactly something that I'm proud of."

This wasn't exactly the conversation to have in front of a four-year-old, but he didn't see to notice. He was too focused on coloring the cartoon birds on his placement. "I could have helped you," Alex mentioned before taking a sip of his coffee.

"You already did." She smiled at him gratefully until her gaze drifted out the window. "It'll be weird to go back. To see everyone. I don't really want to see my family. What am I going to say to them?"

Alex felt a pain from in his gut. He should have told her a while ago, but… "Well, um, there's actually something I should probably tell you. I wanted to tell you sooner, but it's not really the type of thing you say over the phone."

Her brow furrowed as she caught the look on his face. "What is it?"

He sighed, gripping on to the coffee cup for stability. "About two years, your father died. He had a heart attack at work. And a little while after that Caleb left town. Keith Summers says he left for Ohio, and your mother went with him." He glanced up to gauge her reaction, but her expression was blank. He couldn't tell if she was upset or relieved. "I don't know that any of it is true, but I've gone by the house and they're not there anymore. And I haven't seen them since I left for Portland four years ago."

"Oh." It was all she could mutter under the circumstances. Part of her felt relieved, but the other part of her mourned over the hope she had for a better life for themselves. Reality had set in.

"Do you still want to go back?"

She gazed at up, her eyes never faultering. "Yes."

"What a cute little boy you have," the waitress told Alex as she laid their plates in front of them.

He smiled at Norma, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Thanks."

"What about your father?" Norma asked, after a few bites.

Alex gave her a warning look. "What about him?"

She knew it was a difficult topic to bring up, but she was genuinely curious. "How is everything?"

"He's a piece of sh—" He caught himself, his eyes meeting Dylan's from across the table. "He's a felon and he's gonna go to prison."

Sometimes she got so wrapped up in her own life that she forgot that his life was just as bad as her own. "Is that why you work for the sheriff's department now? To put your dad away?"

He cringed, taking another bite. "I'm not supposed to discuss cases outside of the department."

She rolled eyes, setting her fork down and crossing her arms as she leaned back in the booth. "Officers discuss cases with their wives all the time."

He swallowed, his eyes meeting hers. "You're not my wife."

She softened a bit. It was so easy to blur the lines of their relationship. She picked up her mug and took a sip of coffee. The warmth radiating from the ceramic mug soothed her, calming her growing nerves. "Are you seeing anyone?"

He shook his head, his eyes falling to the scribbled cartoon birds on the paper in front of him. "I just divorced my wife. I haven't really had time to meet anyone."

"It's kind of funny. You and me." Her laugh faded as she stared back at him. "We're both in our early twenties and we're both already divorced."

He shrugged, a smile creeping across his face. "Maybe we just haven't met the right people yet."

After a very long drive, they finally arrived in White Pine Bay. They took a detour through downtown to reacquaint Norma with the town. A familiar feeling of sorrow washed over her as the building passed by. She smiled as the old theatre came into view. "Remember when we snuck out of school early to see the premiere of Stranger's on a Train," Alex laughed, his eyes never leaving the road.

She sighed, glancing back at her child in the backseat. "I should have never left."


	21. Chapter 21

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 21: WHEN THEY SEE YOU

It was late when they finally pulled into Alex's driveway. "Don't mind the mess," he told them as they gathered some bags from the back and approached the door. He kicked himself for not cleaning up before he left. He was sure there were going to be dishes in the sink and piles of laundry lying about the house. He was a young bachelor, could anyone really blame him?

But of course Norma didn't mind. She needed a place to stay. And right now, Alex was the only friend she had. "This is nice," she stated as she set some luggage down.

He smiled gratefully, passing her to lead her down the hall. "The guest bedroom's this way. There's a double bed so there should be enough room for the two of you."

She watched as her son curiously peeked about the house, a smile forming. "Thanks…for everything."

Alex woke up the next morning to sound of his alarm going off. He had mixed feelings about going back to work today. He liked working, but part of him felt bad leaving Norma and Dylan at the house.

He stumbled out of bed, pulling some sweatpants over his briefs and making his way to the kitchen for his morning coffee. He was surprised to find Norma bustling about the kitchen. But then again in the times she'd slept over his house she always up and gone before he opened his eyes. He smiled as she caught him lurking in the doorway.

"I made us breakfast." His heart warmed as she poured him a cup of coffee, ushering him to a seat.

"Thanks." He hadn't been this taken care of since his mother.

She shrugged. "I like cooking."

He sat back in his chair, taking a sip of coffee. "It smells delicious."

"You didn't have much to work with so I just made ham and eggs." He could smell her perfume as she leaned over him to scoop some eggs on to his plate. "I'll look at the want ads after I do a load of laundry."

This came as a bit of a shock. He wasn't mad that she wanted to be independent, but a part of him hoped that she'd let him take care of her for a little while. "You're gonna have a baby. Are you sure you want a job right now? Who's gonna take care of Dylan during the day?"

She scoffed, setting the pan in the sink before making her way to the chair adjacent from him. "I have to support us somehow. You can't keep shoveling money at me."

He sighed internally. He knew she was right. But he knew she wasn't going to have any luck finding a decent job, especially once she started showing. "How about you work for me?"

She nearly choked on a piece of egg. "Doing what?"

"Housekeeping? Cooking, cleaning, all the stuff you already like to do. You can manage my house."

She looked at him in disbelief. "You want me to be your maid?"

"Well, I would never refer to it as that. Housekeeper. That sounds much less demeaning." She still wasn't buying it. He could tell. "I'd pay well. You could do whatever you wanted during the day and be with Dylan. And most importantly you'd have time to rest when you get further along in your pregnancy."

Her eyes narrowed a bit as she picked up her fork. "You really shouldn't be eating those frozen dinners."

He was always by her ability to judge him on his eating habits. "I didn't have a wife to cook for me."

"Well, now you do," she retorted, taking a bite. "I mean—now you have SOMEONE to cook for you, not—sure, I'll manage your house, officer."

He chuckled, watching her squirm. "Perfect. We can stop by the bank and set up an account for you when I get home from work."

She smiled. She hadn't been this content ever. The unfamiliarity of happiness worried her, but she trusted Alex. He was her best friend. "Okay."

"We're gonna have to get you a car," Alex stated on the way to the bank. He glanced over to find her staring out the window. "You're not gonna fight me on this one?"

"No. How am I supposed to run errands for you without one? I could walk, but you probably wouldn't let me do that because I'm pregnant." She shot him a look. She was back all right.

When they pulled into the bank a couple of people greeted Alex, staring at Norma as if they couldn't quite place her face. "Is it weird to be back?" he asked.

She caught his gaze, grabbing her son's hand to lead him into the building. "Very weird."

"Alex," a woman shouted as soon as the door shut behind him. "I can help you over here?

Norma stared at him, furrowing her brow. "What are you mister popular?"

An awkward smile crossed his face as he led them to the woman's desk. "Hey, Rebecca."

The woman smiled at Norma and her son, planted her eyes on Alex. "You haven't called me in a while."

"I've been gone for a few days," he explained, pulling out the seat for Norma to sit then taking a seat for himself and helping Dylan onto his lap. "I was helping Norma move back to White Pine Bay."

"Oh, are you from around here?" She was feigning interest.

Norma glanced at Alex, a shy laugh escaping her lips. "Yeah, we grew up next door to each other."

The woman's eyes studied them for a moment. "That's cute," she murmured after a while. "What can I do for you today?"

"We need to open an account for Norma and then transfer some money from my account onto hers." He could tell this was awkward for everyone involved except Dylan, of course. The boy giggled as Alex bounced him on his knee.

Norma smiled at them despite the growing tension between the adults. She wondered why Alex was so good with Dylan. As far as she knew he was never around young kids. Yet, with Dylan he seemed an expert.

"Is that the woman you're seeing?" Norma asked, after they put her son to bed.

Alex stared at her, his expression blank. "What?"

"The woman at the bank. Rebecca. Is she your girlfriend?" He couldn't tell if she was jealous or genuinely curious.

He sighed, making his way to the kitchen to pour himself a drink. "She's not my girlfriend. I already told you. I don't have time to meet women."

"Well, yeah, I know. That's why you pick them up at the bank." He glared at her. She loved to agitate him. She made her way over to the counter to grab some glasses when an envelope caught her eye. "This came in the mail for you."

Alex recognized the black envelope. Dread seeping in. "You can throw it out."

She huffed. "You're not even gonna open it. It looks fancy."

"It's from Bob Paris."

She stared at him. She could sense something was up. "I thought you were friends?"

"Yeah, we were. We're not anymore." He didn't mean to be so harsh with her, but the mention of his name made his skin crawl.

"Did something happen?" she asked innocently. He was hesitant to tell her the truth. "What is he seeing the banker too?"

He glared at her, setting the bottle of whiskey of the table. "I found out he's working for my dad. And he doesn't know I know."

She wasn't getting it. "Well, what is this?"

He could already see where this was going. "It's an invitation to one of his parties."

"Are you gonna go?"

He stared at her. "No. I just told you. We're not friends anymore."

"Yeah, but we could go undercover." He couldn't tell if this was another one of her jokes. But purity of the expression on her face said otherwise.

"What are we? Mystery incorporated? We're not gonna go out and solve crimes together. I'm not taking you to that party." He tried to be as stern as possible.

Because some part of her was still that teenage girl who lived next door. "Maybe I'll just go without you."

She was incorrigible as always. "You're not invited." He sighed, his eyes falling to the bottle sitting on the table between them. "I can't believe he's one of them. Now not only am I going to have to arrest my own father, but I'm gonna have to arrest my friend too."


	22. Chapter 22

The Things You Did For Me

Chapter 22: HOW WILL I KNOW

Alex stood in front of the mirror, fumbling in an attempt to tie his tie. "Just give it to me," Norma groaned, getting up from her spot of the couch beside her son to help the helpless officer. "I don't understand why I can't go with you."

Alex sent her the look, firmly pressing his lips together. "It isn't the kind of party you bring a date to."

She scoffed, clearly unconvinced. "Who said anything about a date?"

He stared at her, her eyes daring him to crack, but his gaze quickly shifted to the young boy coloring at the coffee table and he decided it best to ignore her observation. "Besides who's going to watch Dylan?"

She pulled away from him, a hint of discomfort seeping in. "We could get a sitter."

But he grabbed her wrist before she had the chance to run away. "It's not safe."

Her eyes met his. "Then why are you going?"

He could see a bit of worry start to fester on her face, and for a second he contemplated staying with her, but his job took precedence over everything—even her. "My boss asked me to go."

She pulled in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Your dad?"

A pain formed in his heart. Sometimes he forgot that the man who ruined everything was his father. Sometimes he chose to believe that his father died long before his mother. "No."

Alex was surprised to see how many regular local men showed up at Bob's party. It disgusted him, really—the amount of married men crawling half-drunkenly about the place. He knew their wives and their children. "Alex," a voice called from across the yard. "I didn't think you'd show up."

Alex sighed, turning around to meet his former friend. "Well, Bob, you've been pretty persistent."

The man grinned widely, shuffling Alex by the arm across the grass to a gatehouse beside the pond. "How about we set you up with some nice entertainment."

Alex groaned about to protest when the sight from behind the door revealed itself. It was his father, sitting on Bob usual throne, watching the night's VIP entertainment. A bit of vomit began to rise in his throat as he pushed his friend aside and ran to the nearest tree.

Norma sat on the living room floor with her son playing a game of go fish when the phone rang. She got up, setting her hand of cards face down and heading to the phone. "Don't peek at my cards," she called to her son.

"Norma," a voice came through on the line.

"Alex?" She could barely hear him over the noise in the background.

He groaned, leaning against the wall and wrapping the phone cord in his hand. "Yeah. Listen, I need you to come get me."

"Is everything all right?" He could hear the worry laced through her voice.

His voice slurred, his eyes gazing about the women in the room. "Yeah, yeah. It's all good."

"Why do you sound funny?"

An innocent smile crept across his face as he whispered into the phone. "I'm a little drunk."

She laughed despite herself, gazing into the other room to find her son peeking at her cards. "I'll be there in a few minutes. I'm just gonna call a sitter first, okay?"

"When did you get this car?" Alex asked as he settled himself into the passenger seat.

"It's not my car. It's Maggie Summers'. She's with Dylan." Her eyes settled on his disheveled hair and clothing, breathing in the smell of him. "God, you're a mess."

"Whelp. I'm alive," he laughed as they pulled away. "I saw my dad. He looked like he had a good time."

She didn't know how to react but seeing him so relaxed and open made her smile. "Yeah? You look like you had a good time too."

His face suddenly got serious. "No. I drank a lot and now I have to pee."

She smiled at him, chuckling softly to herself. "We're almost home."

Maggie was waiting for them when they got home. She stood up, taking in the appearance of her older brother's friend. "What's wrong with Alex?"

"He's not feeling very well," Norma told her as she ushered the man over to the couch, and ran down the hall to get a damp cloth. "I'll be right back."

Alex groaned, sinking into the couch cushions. "I'm not doing so hot, Baby Summers."

The girl smiled. "I'm not a baby anymore, Alex. I'm seventeen now."

Norma came back, glancing between the two of them and placing the cloth on Alex's forehead. "She's seventeen," he whispered to her.

She smiled and nodded, her eyes landing on the awkward teenager. "Thanks for watching Dylan while I was gone and letting me borrow your car. I really appreciate it."

The girl's eyes never left the boy she used to know. "Oh, it was no problem." She bit her lip, trying to gain the courage. "I can stay and help care for Alex too."

Norma grinned, knowingly. "No. That's all right. I think I got it. Besides isn't it a school night?"

The girl frowned. "Yeah, I guess I should head home."

"I think someone's got a crush," Norma teased after the girl left.

Alex stared at her, a bit of stoicism returning. "I still have to pee, you know."

She laughed, helping him to his feet, but the smile fell from her face when she spotted a hint of red stain of his collar. "Is that lipstick on your collar?"

Alex shrugged, his altered state of mind not registering the hurt on her face. "Probably."

"I knew going to that party was a mistake," Alex told Norma the next morning.

"You didn't get any vital information, Bond?" He glared at her, squinting from the sunlight peeking through the curtains. "There's some aspirin and a glass of water right there for you."

"Thanks, honey," he smiled teasingly.

Her heart warmed at his voice. "Don't joke like that. Maggie Summers might get jealous."

Alex rolled his eyes, stirring the waffle mix for her. "Just because I was nice to her when we were kids and she likes me as a person doesn't mean she has a crush on me."

Norma scoffed, scrambling the eggs. "Oh, sure. You probably were all over her once I left."

He glared at her. "She was a child. That's disgusting!"

Her smile faded as her thoughts took over. "It seems so stupid now." She glanced at his furrowed brow. "Me leaving. I was just scared. Scared of my parents, my brother—what they would do if they knew. If anyone knew that…I'm sorry I left you. You needed me, and I only thought about the mess I was in. I missed everything. Graduation. Prom. I missed the freaking prom, Alex! I should have never left. We could have made it out together."

"We have made it out. Sort of. You're parents and Caleb can't bother you anymore. John is out of the picture. My dad's gonna go to jail. And now we have Dylan. Now we can start over with our own little family."

She gazed at him in awe. "Why do you always know exactly what to say to me?"

He smiled. "You're my best friend."

"Where are you taking me?" she giggled, trying the peek underneath the blindfold.

"No peeking!" Alex laughed, trying to keep his eyes on the road ahead while making sure she didn't ruin the surprise.

"No peeking, mommy!" Dylan echoed from the backseat.

They pulled into a used car lot and parked. Alex got out first helping Dylan down from the back before getting Norma out of the front. "You can take the blindfold off now."

She gazed about the place, a smile forming. "Was this really necessary?"

Alex laughed, holding Dylan's hand as they walked down the lot. "The blindfold or the car lot?" She glared at him. "You can get anyone you want."

"Alex," she scolded.

"They're used, Norma. It's not that expensive. Besides you need a car. Can't just keep borrowing the babysitter's." She still wasn't persuaded. "I might be getting a significant raise soon. I'm gonna run for sheriff."

Her mouth dropped open and she started to laugh. "Really?"

He couldn't hide his disappointment over her shock. "Yeah. I wanna help the people that my father hurt and make up for all the horrible things that have happened here over the past few years."

She smiled, sending him a reassuring look. "That's very noble of you."

They stared at each other for a moment until excitement filled the boy attached to Alex. "This one!" Dylan pulled on Alex excitedly leading him down the lot.

"A green 1970s Mercedes?" Norma asked, uncertainty ridden in her voice.

"It's perfect," Alex smiled, nudging her till she climbed inside. "You're gonna love it."

With a new car, Norma was out and about more often, running errands for Alex whenever there was someone to watch Dylan. "Why are you setting all this up?" the boy asked as Alex hung stars and streamers from the ceiling.

"Because your mom does a lot of us and I think it's important to show her how much she means to us."

The boy sunk down onto the couch. "Then why do I have to go to bed?"

Alex sighed, climbing down from the chair he was kneeling on. "Because it's past your bedtime and your mom's gonna be mad at me if you don't at least pretend to sleep."

"Oh. Well, can I stay up till she gets home?" Just like with Norma, Alex couldn't deny the little boy anything.

"Fine. You can stay and help set up. But as soon as you see headlights through the window, you better run and pretend your were asleep this whole time, okay?"

"Okay." They were silent for a while. Just like Alex, the boy didn't talk much—that was what he liked most about him. "Do you think Sam is gonna come for us?"

Alex glanced at him, trying to find the cause of the question. "No. Do you?"

"No." He carefully checked the window for lights and with none continued his pursuit. "Are you my dad?"

Alex nearly choked. "What? Why would you ask that?"

"Before we left. I heard my dad say he's not my dad. Are you my dad?" The innocence of his face broke Alex's heart.

He knelt down beside him. "No. No, buddy, I'm not your dad. I wish I was."

The boy smiled softly. "Me too."

Alex wrapped his arms around him, holding the boy tight. But the lights flashing through the room interrupted them and Dylan went running to bed just as he was told.

"They didn't have the coffee you like so I got a different kind," Norma announced, her voice dropping off as she gazed about the living room. "What is all this?"

"Norma Louise Calhoun, welcome to your prom." Alex beamed proudly.

She couldn't hide the wonder in her eyes. "Alex."

"I call it: A Night Under the Stars 2." Alex chuckled, clearly proud of himself.

She set her purse and the groceries beside the door, taking a few steps further into the room. "Alex, this is beautiful."

"I can't take all the credit. Dylan helped." He turned his back to her, reaching to grab something that was hidden from her sight. "This is for you."

Her heart raced a little. "You got a me a corsage?"

He smiled awkwardly. "Yeah. Mrs. Coleman, the florist, was definitely suspicious but I played it off."

Norma laughed, allowing him to slip the corsage onto her wrist. "She probably thought you were gonna take little Maggie to prom."

Alex sent her a playful glare, grabbing the remote and turning on the stereo to a low volume. He grinned as How Will I Know played into the room. "May I have this dance?"

She gave him her hand. "Of course."


End file.
